Dublin, April 26^th, 2023

Funded by the European Commission under the Horizon Europe programme, the SALTO project will accelerate the development of the first reusable launchers in Europe. The project’s consortium combines Europe’s expertise of the major groups, research institutes, innovative start-ups and SMEs to reach the next stage of the development of the Europe’s first reusable rocket.

The SALTO project is coordinated by ArianeGroup, selected by the European Commission following a call for project in the frame of Horizon Europe. It started in December 2022 and will be testing vertical landing of a reusable launcher stage prototype. The SALTO project aims to validate the landing phase, which is particularly complex but essential in order to be able to recover a launcher. Two test campaigns of the Themis reusable launcher stage prototype will be conducted in Kiruna, Sweden. During the vertical hop tests the launcher will be lifted up to 30m to 250m high, using Prometheus® reusable engine demonstrator.

Themis is a European Space Agency (ESA) programme, led by ArianeGroup. Eight ESA Member States are participating in the programme: France, Switzerland, Belgium, Sweden, Spain, Netherlands, Poland and Hungary. SALTO enables perfectly synchronised acceleration of the two ESA programmes Themis reusable stage and Prometheus® reusable engine for which ArianeGroup is lead contractor.

The SALTO project and the foreseen tests are complementary and coherent with ESA’s Themis reusable stage programme. These developments are the key technological building blocks for the next generation of reusable European launchers that aims to reduce significantly the costs of space launches when compared with the current European rocket fleet. As a result, it will reinforce European Union’s strategic autonomy and competitiveness and, will contribute to reducing the environmental footprint from space launches.

Réaltra Space Systems Engineering, an SME from Ireland will be responsible for the development, test and delivery of the high speed HD Video telemetry cameras that will be mounted on the new re-useable launcher as part of the test campaigns in the SALTO project.

Michael Martin, Engineering Manager at Réaltra, says “We are very excited and proud for everyone in the Réaltra team to be selected to join the international SALTO consortium, led by ArianeGroup, to provide our HD Video Camera technology for the ground-breaking launch tests of the first European re-useable launcher. The selection of Réaltra reflects the hard work, deep experience and high standards displayed by the people in Réaltra and Realtime Technologies.”

About the project SALTO

The SALTO project will test vertical landing by a reusable launcher stage prototype within the next three years, with a budget of 39 million euros. SALTO stands for “reuSable strAtegic space Launcher Technologies & Operations”. The project’s consortium involves 25 partners from 12 countries:

• ArianeGroup SAS, ArianeGroup GmbH, MT Aerospace AG, Safran Data Systems, Safran Electronics & Defense, Avio S.p.A., Sabca, Thales Alenia Space Belgium S.A., GTD Sistemas de Información S.A., GMV Aerospace and Defence SA, Deimos Engineering and Systems S.L.U, Sener TAFS SAU, Swedish Space Corporation, Amorim Cork Composites SA;
• Research institutes: German Aerospace Center (DLR), CNES, ONERA, IRT Jules Verne, INCAS;
• Start-ups and SMEs: ID-Services, Shark Robotics SARL, G.L.Electronic s.r.o, SIA WIT Berry, Réaltra Space Systems Engineering, SpaceForest sp. z o.o.

About Réaltra

Réaltra (meaning “Galaxy” in Gaelic) is an Irish space start-up, established in 2018 and dedicated to the design, development and manufacture of cost-effective space electronic systems using cutting-edge technologies. Our highly experienced team of space industry experts have a proven track record in combining COTS and traditional approaches for the development of highly reliable solutions to meet the challenges set by our customers in both the traditional and “NewSpace” markets.

Réaltra has 10 employees, each with a wide range of expertise and experience in the space sector and who all share a passion for their work and all things related to space. The company plans to employ more than 50 highly skilled people over the next few years. Réaltra was founded in 2018 by Paddy White (CEO), Diarmuid Corry (CTO) and Danny Gleeson (CCO), each with long experience in the space sector.  Web: www.realtra.space

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