Today, the European Space Agency (ESA) announced four new unanticipated contract extensions to Rocket Factory Augsburg, Orbex, Isar Aerospace, and Hyimpulse. The new €44,22 million funding round under ESA’s Boost! program aims to support the four European launch providers preparing to debut new rockets within a year. The months prior to the inaugural flight are tough for young space companies that can’t generate revenue.
These new contracts highlight the importance of ESA’s Boost! program, which aims to support commercial initiatives to develop transport services to and from space.
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RFA and Isar
In recent years, RFA has undoubtedly positioned itself as one of Europe’s most ambitious space startups. The German company is developing RFA One and preparing it for the maiden launch. The three-stage small-lift rocket is capable of carrying up to 1,300 kg of payload to SSO orbit, and on the first stage is powered by 9 RP/LOX Helix engines.
Thanks to an iterative approach, RFA has been able to rapidly develop and test the launch vehicle, aiming for a maiden flight in 2024. However, on August 20, during a static fire test of the first stage at SaxaVord spaceport, an anomaly in one of the engines caused a spectacular booster explosion. According to RFA, the failure did not excessively damage the ground infrastructure and the company is working on improving a new first stage to resume the test campaign as soon as possible.
UPDATE on our S1 test anomaly!
— Rocket Factory Augsburg (@rfa_space) August 23, 2024
Our first stage is gone – but we have collected a significant amount of data and film footage. After reviewing it, we want to share some insights into the technical analysis, preliminary conclusions and our next steps ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/FnGHjTCS2g
The new ESA funds will help RFA recover more quickly from the summer setback and prepare the hardware for the maiden launch.
RFA is also working on future projects including the Argo cargo capsule and a super heavy-lift rocket concept as part of ESA’s Preparatory Activities for European Heavy Lift Launcher (PROTEIN) initiative.
The German company Isar Aerospace, also founded in 2018, is building Spectrum, a two-stage orbital launch vehicle. The 28-meter rocket will launch 1,000 kg of payload to LEO and will operate from its launch facility at the Andøya Spaceport in Norway. Isar is now conducting the integrated testing of Spectrum’s stages. ESA is supporting the test campaign for the first flight and the preparation for the second launch.
“Given the current political developments, it’s clear Europe must rethink its approach to space access. We’re strongly encouraged by ESA’s focus on commercialization with initiatives like Boost! and the European Launcher Challenge, but this can only be the beginning. To compete globally, institutions and governments must become frequent customers,” stated Stella Guillen, Chief Commercial Officer at Isar Aerospace.
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Orbex and HyImpulse
Orbex, a Scottish company founded in 2015, is developing Prime, a two-stage microlauncher capable of delivering 180 kg of payload to Low Earth Orbit. The company is building the Sutherland Spaceport where it will operate its rocket.
The latest Boost! contracts will support Orbex in qualifying the carbon-fiber fuel tanks, conducting the integrated tests, and preparing the launch of Prime.
HyImpulse, founded in Germany in 2018, has already built a launch experience thanks to the maiden liftoff of its SR75 suborbital rocket from the Southern Launch Koonibba Test Range in Australia on May 3, 2024.
The company is developing SL1, a three-stage orbital rocket capable of carrying up to 600 kg of payload to LEO, and is powered by the HyPLOX75 hybrid motor, already tested with SR75. SL1 will be launched from the SaxaVord Spaceport and possibly from Whalers Way Orbital Launch Complex in Australia.
The ESA funding will help advance a significant part of SL1 sub-systems towards integrated testing.
*Cover image credits: RFA
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