The Themis programme is an ongoing European Space Agency programme carried by prime contractor ArianeGroup, aiming to develop a prototype reusable rocket first stage and plans to conduct demonstration flights. The prototype rockets will also be called Themis. As of 2025, two prototypes are being developed: Themis 1-Engine Hop (T1H) and Themis 1-Engine Evolution (T1E). Later, a three-engine variant (T3) will be built.[1][2] First flight test of the first vehicle (T1H) are expected to take place at Esrange in early 2026.[3] Themis is expected to provide valuable information on the economic value of reusability for the European government space program and develop technologies for potential use on future European launch vehicles.[4][5][6] Themis will be powered by the ESA's Prometheus rocket engine.[4] Eventually, lessons learned with Themis's development will pave the way for developing the European reusable launchers Maia[7] and Ariane Next.[8] Themis is distinct from a similar project CALLISTO under development by CNES, DLR, and JAXA.[9][10]
Project history
[edit]On 15 December 2020, ESA signed a contract worth €33 million with ArianeGroup in France for the "Themis Initial Phase". This first phase of the Themis programme involves development of the flight vehicle technologies and test bench and static fire demonstrations in Vernon, France. It also includes the preparation of the ground infrastructure at the Esrange Space Center in Kiruna, Sweden, for the first hop tests and any associated flight vehicle modifications.[11][12][13] Two possible landing sites have been mentioned in discussions surrounding the project:[12] the former Diamant launch complex, which will be used for the flight testing phase[14] and the Ariane 5 launch complex, which will become available after the transition from the Ariane 5 to Ariane 6. The estimated program timeline, as of December 2020[update], expected low-altitude hop tests in 2022 and a full flight envelope test in 2025.[15] In November 2024, ESA has awarded a contract to ArianeGroup to build a second Themis demonstrator (T1E)[7] and announced that testing of the Themis main systems has been completed and the assembly of the first demonstrator was underway.[16]
Themis T1H
[edit]In December 2021, ESA completed a series of tanking tests on the steel propellant tanks for Themis.[17] On 22 June 2023, the first hot-fire test of the Prometheus engine, as a part of the Themis first stage demonstrator, was successfully conducted in Vernon, France.[18] Landing leg testing began in July 2024.[19] ArianeGroup has brought the main elements of Themis T1H together for the first time during a full-fit check in Les Mureaux, France in December 2024.[1] Themis T1H integration was completed at Les Mureaux in June 2025. The vehicle was packed and prepared for shipment[20] and on 27 June 2025, it arrived at the Esrange spaceport in Sweden.[21][22] In September 2025, Themis T1H had its four landing legs installed and ESA shared a photo of the vehicle standing at its launch pad at Esrange.[23][24]
See also
[edit]- List of European Space Agency programmes and missions
- Future Launchers Preparatory Programme – European Space Agency rocket development projects
- CALLISTO – Reusable rocket demonstrator
- Prometheus – Methalox spacecraft propulsion system
- Maia – French orbital reusable rocket of the company MaiaSpace
- Ariane Next – Orbital recoverable launch vehicle of the European company ArianeGroup
- Miura 5 – European orbital recoverable rocket of the company PLD Space
- Miura Next – European orbital recoverable rocket of the company PLD Space
References
[edit]- ^ a b Parsonson, Andrew (2024-12-17). "Themis Reusable Rocket Takes Shape as ArianeGroup Completes Fit Check". European Spaceflight. Retrieved 2025-03-14.
- ^ "Themis demonstrations". www.esa.int. Retrieved 2025-03-15.
- ^ Parsonson, Andrew (2025-06-06). "First Themis Test Flight Likely to Slip to 2026". European Spaceflight. Retrieved 2025-06-19.
- ^ a b "Prometheus to power future launchers". ESA. 14 December 2017. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
- ^ Parsonson, Andrew (2023-07-19). "EU/ArianeGroup SALTO Themis Project Breakdown". European Spaceflight. Retrieved 2025-09-19.
- ^ Commission, the European (2026-02-23). "Europe's progress on future access-to-space gains momentum with upcoming reusable launcher flight test". SpaceNews. Retrieved 2026-02-23.
- ^ a b Parsonson, Andrew (2024-11-21). "ESA Awards Another €230M to ArianeGroup for Themis Demonstrator". European Spaceflight. Retrieved 2025-03-14.
- ^ Patureau de Mirand, Antoine (July 2019). Ariane Next, a vision for a reusable cost efficient European rocket (PDF). 8th European Conference for Aeronautics and Space Sciences. doi:10.13009/EUCASS2019-949. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
- ^ "SALTO – Technologies for Europe's first reusable rocket". www.dlr.de. Retrieved 2025-10-10.
- ^ "Themis, Maia, Callisto, Susie... Face au Space X d'Elon Musk, comment l'Europe veut se relancer dans la course spatiale avec des fusées réutilisables". Franceinfo (in French). 2025-03-03. Retrieved 2025-10-10.
- ^ Fourtané, Susan. "Themis: ESA's First Stage Flight toward 2030 European Space Fleet Roadmap". Interesting Engineering. Retrieved 2025-10-10.
- ^ a b "ESA plans demonstration of a reusable rocket stage". ESA. 15 December 2020. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
- ^ "First hot-fire test of Europe's reusable methane-fueled Prometheus rocket engine – Spaceflight Now". Retrieved 2025-10-10.
- ^ "Diamant in the rough – in Kourou, the old launch complex gets a facelift for Themis". ArianeGroup. 24 September 2021. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
- ^ Payer, Markus (30 November 2020). "ArianeWorks on European reusable rocket prototype Themis". SpaceWatch.Global. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
- ^ Parsonson, Andrew (2024-11-07). "ESA Shares Rare Update on Themis Reusable Booster Demonstrator". European Spaceflight. Retrieved 2025-03-14.
- ^ Beil, Adrian (2021-12-08). "Themis tanking test marks milestone in ESA's path to reusability". NASASpaceFlight.com. Retrieved 2025-03-14.
- ^ Richards, Bella (2023-06-23). "Themis, Prometheus complete first hot-fire tests in France". NASASpaceFlight.com. Retrieved 2023-10-23.
- ^ Parsonson, Andrew (2024-07-29). "MT Aerospace Begins Testing Themis Landing Leg". European Spaceflight. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
- ^ Europe’s first reusable main stage’s full-scale demonstrator is ready. Bluesky
- ^ Piccin, Stefano (2025-06-30). "Themis, il dimostratore del razzo europeo riutilizzabile, è arrivato a Esrange per i primi test". AstroSpace (in Italian). Retrieved 2025-06-30.
- ^ Parsonson, Andrew (2025-06-30). "Themis Demonstrator Completes 3,000 km Journey to Launch Site". European Spaceflight. Retrieved 2025-06-30.
- ^ Parsonson, Andrew (2025-09-19). "ArianeGroup Completes Themis Integration Ahead of Combined Tests". European Spaceflight. Retrieved 2025-09-19.
- ^ "Themis stands on the launch pad". www.esa.int. Retrieved 2025-09-19.
External links
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Future missions in italics
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