ESA’s Director of Space Transportation unsure Themis will fly before the year ends

On 22 October, ESA Director of Space Transportation Géraldine Naja said she was unsure the agency would complete the initial flight of its Themis reusable craft before the year ends, speaking at a Paris media briefing held after ESA’s 350th Council meeting, European Spaceflight reported.

European Spaceflight reported that Naja said winter conditions approaching Sweden’s Esrange Space Center could stop the test from occurring this year. She tied the possible delay to the seasonal shutdown at the Swedish launch site, which she cited as the operational constraint.

European Spaceflight reported that the agency plans a go/no-go choice before November ends on whether to attempt the flight ahead of the winter shutdown. The decision point was set during the 22 October briefing in Paris. It sits before the Esrange winter shutdown and determines whether the first hop test can still occur in 2026.

European Spaceflight reported that Naja also stated on 22 October that the programme timeline calls for a hop test to occur before June 2027, presenting it as a more concrete timeline than earlier official updates. The source noted the cutoff’s coverage of one flight or both planned hop tests was unclear.

European Spaceflight reported that after Naja spoke on 22 October, an ESA spokesperson avoided saying directly if the June 2027 limit covered both hop tests. The reporter’s question drew no direct answer on the scope of the deadline.

European Spaceflight reported that the spokesperson restated that a call on attempting the first hop test before the winter shutdown would come by the end of November. Questions beyond that were referred to ArianeGroup, identified as the prime contractor.

European Spaceflight reported that the uncertainty dates to 8 January, when ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher said during his annual press briefing that the agency anticipated a first Themis hop test within the opening three months of 2026. The January expectation predates the later uncertainty expressed by Naja in October.

European Spaceflight reported that before Thursday, official updates on Themis had lacked detail, and neither ESA nor ArianeGroup had committed to a revised flight date. Naja’s comments were the first time an official committed to a more specific timing.

European Spaceflight reported that on 7 October, ArianeGroup issued an update after the successful second wet dress rehearsal of the demonstrator at Esrange. In that statement, the company said its teams were setting a timeframe for the following test but did not give a firm date.

European Spaceflight reported that SALTO, a European Union-funded initiative, oversees the initial two-hop Themis flight campaign under a budget of €42.8 million. The budget covers the two-hop flight campaign, and ArianeGroup serves as the programme’s prime contractor.

European Spaceflight reported that under SALTO, the goal is two low-altitude hop tests showing Themis can launch, land and launch once more. The campaign’s purpose is to validate reusability through repeated flights, and the source describes the tests as low-altitude hops.