Future applications
Space rider
The unmanned and reusable space transport system.
technical specifications
Interesting numbers
potentials
Reusable unmanned space vehicle
Avio is directly involved in the European Space Agency project called Space Rider. It is a reusable unmanned space vehicle, designed to reach the Low Earth Orbit carrying out different types of missions. The Space Rider is made of two Modules, the Re-entry Module (managed by Thales Alenia Space) and the AVIO’s AOM (AVUM Orbital Module). AOM is the Space Rider’s service module, that provides power, attitude and orbit control; it’s based on AVUM, the Vega C upper stage, upgraded by orbital GNC sensors and actuators, a complete active thermal control system and the solar array wings to power up all the spacecraft. Space Rider is basically a space laboratory for payloads capable of operating in orbit for a variety of applications on missions lasting about two months. It’s highly flexible architecture allow to perform different kind of missions to encounter the Customer’s needs.
Space Rider has is able to perform:
- Free-flying applications for experiments in microgravity environment.
- Surveillance missions, as Earth disaster monitoring and satellites inspection.
- Science Deep Space observation.
- In-orbit technology demonstration and validation.
Space Rider is a space vehicle capable of carrying multiple payloads for different applications on each flight. Payloads that will be integrated inside the payload bay will take the benefits of a high-tech flexible fully customizable platform for experiments in space and a safe return on Earth.
High tech space vehicle
Space Rider will be launched on Vega C from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guyana, remain in space in a low-drag altitude orbit, at least for 2 months, re-enter the Earth's atmosphere, land with its payload by a guided parafoil, then refurbished and prepared for the next mission.
Space Rider is designed to operate at different orbital inclinations, from equatorial to high latitudes. The European landing sites for Space Rider are Korou for low inclination orbits and the Azores archipelago for mid and high inclination orbits. Setting the Space Rider unique capability to be launched and retrieved on European soil.
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