Dublin, April 22nd, 2025

Dublin based Réaltra announces delivery and installation of HD camera and Ethernet network switch on Europe’s first reusable launcher stage, T1H demonstrator, as part of the Horizon Europe project SALTO.

Project SALTO, reuSable strAtegic space Launcher Technologies & Operation, will test vertical take-off and landing of a European reusable launcher stage.

Réaltra Space Systems Engineering, a division of Realtime Technologies Ltd., proudly announces the delivery of a HD camera and an Ethernet network switch as part of the Horizon Europe project SALTO – reuSable strAtegic space Launcher Technologies & Operations. Réaltra is one of 25 project partners from 12 countries involved in SALTO, a project which will culminate in a ‘hop test’ campaign to demonstrate and validate the technologies necessary for a reusable launch vehicle.

The EU-funded project SALTO is coordinated by ArianeGroup and aims to develop technologies and building blocks for the first stage of a launcher and perform, for the first time in Europe, a vertical hop test of a reusable launcher first stage demonstrator, called Themis.

Project SALTO consortium partner, Réaltra, delivered two technologies including a HD camera, featuring a global shutter, and a space-ready Ethernet network switch. The HD camera is poised to deliver high-definition images of the hop test demonstration and it has been shipped to ArianeGroup at the Les Mureaux site in France where it has been successfully integrated into the Themis demonstrator. The imagery from the camera will allow for post-analysis with exceptional image quality for both the structure and subsystems during the hop. Réaltra have extensive experience with developing and delivering spaceflight hardware, with recent success stories including the provision of the Réaltra video telemetry systems for the inaugural launch of the Ariane 6 in July 2024, the first commercial launch of Ariane 6 in March 2025, and the historic launch of James Webb Space Telescope on the Ariane 5 launcher in 2021.

Réaltra also delivered a space-ready Ethernet network switch, which was developed in collaboration with TTTech Computertechnik AG in a project funded through the European Space Agency’s Future Launchers Preparatory Program (FLPP). The 12-port Ethernet switch has recently been shipped to ArianeGroup and integrated into the Themis demonstrator, allowing for the functionally safe integration of multiple payloads and systems, including the Réaltra HD camera, into one hub which then communicates with the Themis demonstrator. The information from the payloads and systems connected to the network switch will be saved onboard for processing and analysis after the hop test demonstration. Réaltra prides itself in developing affordable, ruggedized, highly-reliable, modular avionics system for space applications, and utilizing commercial off the shelf (COTS) components where possible. This will be the first integrated use case for the robust Réaltra-TTTech Ethernet switch, which implements the TTTech’s COTS TTEthernet Controller chip which is flight-proven (Ariane 6 and other programs).

The hop test is due to take place from the Esrange Space Center in Kiruna, Sweden not earlier than end of this year.

Quote from Réaltra Space Systems Engineering

“We are delighted to have been selected to be part of the SALTO consortium and to deliver two independent but integrated systems for what will be a European first in reusable launchers. At Réaltra, we have a wealth of experience in developing and delivering spaceflight hardware and our participation in SALTO has been very valuable in terms of working as part of international consortium and contributing our expertise to advancing Europe’s capabilities in sustainable and innovative space launcher technologies.” said Danny Gleeson, CCO of Réaltra.

About Réaltra Space Systems Engineering

Réaltra is the Irish word for “galaxy”, which is appropriate in the context of the company’s vision of creating innovative, affordable electronic systems for space applications. The Réaltra division of Realtime Technologies Ltd. was formed in January 2018 by Paddy White (CEO), Diarmuid Corry (CTO) and Danny Gleeson (CCO), each with long experience in the space sector, to focus specifically on the growing global space market for high-quality and high-reliability electronic systems, targeting the commercial “NewSpace” market, with a focus on the burgeoning global launchers and small satellite sectors. Réaltra currently employs 22 people, including staff with significant space heritage to recent graduates of UCD’s Masters in Space Science & Technology and interns from Universities. The company plans to employ up to 50 highly skilled people over the next few years. www.realtra.space

Realtime Technologies Ltd. is an Irish-owned company, employing over 50 people, that was founded by Paddy White in 1996 as a supplier of printed circuit board assemblies to the global IT, aerospace, automotive and medical device sectors. www.realtime.ie

About Horizon Europe project SALTO

The SALTO project will test vertical landing by a reusable launcher stage. 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.

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme under grant agreement No 101082007.

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