The European Space Agency (ESA) is taking great strides towards the future of reusable spaceflights, and the leader of this revolution is the Space Rider project. It is an uncrewed, autonomous spacecraft designed to provide Europe with routine, affordable, and regular access to low Earth orbit. This innovative space laboratory, which will be launched into orbit by the Vega-C rocket, represents a technological milestone with the potential to transform scientific research and commercial activities in space.

Conceived as a kind of orbital freight train, Space Rider will conduct missions that can last up to three months, after which it will autonomously return to Earth. Its modular nature and cargo bay capacity of up to 800 kilograms open the door to a wide range of applications, from pharmaceutical research in microgravity and the development of new materials, to testing technologies in real space conditions and in-orbit manufacturing. After completing its mission, the spacecraft will perform a precision landing on skids with the help of a large steerable parachute, a so-called parafoil, ready for quick servicing and a new mission.

Key tests in Sardinia as a prelude to the operational phase

To ensure the reliability and safety of this complex system, the team responsible for developing Space Rider conducted an intensive two-week testing campaign during June 2025. This series of tests, which followed a previous campaign in 2024, took place at the Salto di Quirra military range (Poligono Interforze del Salto di Quirra - PISQ) in Sardinia, Italy. The campaign had two fundamental objectives: to qualify the complex parachute system that slows the spacecraft upon re-entry and, more importantly, to test the advanced autonomous guidance software that allows Space Rider to land independently at a predefined location.

For testing purposes, models of the Space Rider spacecraft were dropped from a CH-47 Chinook transport helicopter of the Italian Army from altitudes varying between one and two and a half kilometers. This range complex, intended for military exercises and experiments, provided ideal conditions for simulating the key phases of return from orbit.

A complex parachute chain for a safe landing

The return of any spacecraft from orbit is a huge technical challenge. When Space Rider begins its re-entry through the Earth's atmosphere, it will be traveling at a speed more than six times the speed of sound. The friction with air molecules at these speeds will create extreme temperatures that can exceed 1600°C on the spacecraft's surface. To survive this fiery plunge and descend safely, Space Rider is equipped with a sophisticated, multi-stage parachute system.

The deceleration process begins with the deployment of the first, smaller round parachute (drogue chute) just after the speed drops below the speed of sound. Its sole task is to initially and drastically slow down the module. After that, at an altitude of approximately five kilometers, a smaller, so-called "pilot" parachute is activated, whose function is to pull out and correctly position the main and largest element – the massive parafoil. It is this parafoil, similar to those used by paragliders, that enables controlled flight and precise guidance of the spacecraft towards the targeted landing site.

During the campaign in Sardinia, three drop tests were successfully performed, confirming the correctness of the entire parachute chain. The tests proved that the parachutes reduce the speed according to the predicted parameters and verified the entire deployment and inflation sequence, from the first drogue parachute to the full opening of the parafoil.

Autonomous landing: Unparalleled revolutionary precision

In parallel with the parachute tests, three key autonomous guidance tests were conducted in a so-called "closed-loop". For this purpose, a special test model was used – a metal platform equipped with all the necessary electronics, sensors, and actuators. This model contained the control avionics, two winches for pulling the parafoil's control lines, a container for the packed parachutes, and concrete ballast to match the actual mass of the Space Rider's re-entry module.

After being released from the helicopter, this test model autonomously managed its descent until the moment of touchdown. It relied exclusively on its own sensors and control software, without any intervention or control from the ground. The results were outstanding. Although the Italian word "salto" means "jump," the campaign demonstrated that Space Rider will be able to land extremely gently and with a precision of just 150 meters from the target point. Achieving such an ambitious goal represents a huge success for the European space industry and is the first such achievement in the world for the precision landing of a spacecraft of this size under a parafoil.

During a test flight from an altitude of 2.5 kilometers, the model flew for approximately 12 minutes, maintaining a vertical descent speed of about 4 meters per second, while the speed at landing was reduced to just 2 meters per second – all controlled exclusively by the autonomous system.

Synergy of industry, science, and defense

The success of these tests would have been impossible without strong collaboration between European industry and the Italian defense sector. The entire testing campaign was led by Thales Alenia Space Italia, the prime contractor for the Space Rider project and responsible for the development of the re-entry module. Strong support was also provided by industrial partners such as Sener, CIMSA, Teseo, and Meteomatics, each with its specific role in the development of key components. The Italian Air Force and Army also played an indispensable role, providing essential logistical support on the ground and ensuring flight operations and access to the Salto di Quirra range itself.

Final steps before the first orbital flight

Although the recent tests are a major step forward, several verification phases remain before Space Rider is fully ready for its first mission. The next step is a drop test campaign of the entire system, which will include a full-scale mockup of the re-entry module. This mockup will have the identical mass, aerodynamic shape, and landing gear as the real spacecraft, thereby demonstrating the entire landing and touchdown process.

The final testing campaign will focus on landing stability, investigating worst-case scenarios. For this purpose, a model with an integrated landing gear will be accelerated on a roller-coaster-like structure and released onto a runway to ensure that even in rougher landings, the sensitive scientific payload is not exposed to excessive impacts. This final phase will also be carried out with the support of the Italian Ministry of Defence, using new landing infrastructure being built at the Salto di Quirra range. This location is being developed to support not only Space Rider tests but also future suborbital missions. Designed for a quick return to service, Space Rider will undergo a six-month maintenance process after each mission, after which it will be ready to return to space and conduct new, revolutionary experiments.

Source: European Space Agency