Meet the System
The Space Rider System (SRS) is Europe’s first reusable space transportation system. Designed to be an affordable, independent, re-usable, uncrewed end-to-end commercial transportation system for routine access to and return from Low Earth Orbit (LEO), its concept can be extended to serve as In-Orbit Services (IOS) and Close-Proximity Operations (CPO) platform in addition to a pure commercial exploitation medium.
The Space Rider System, or SRS refers to the entire ecosystem, which includes the flight segment, ground segments and facilities needed to perform a mission and support customers and their businesses.
The Vehicle
The Space Rider vehicle, the main part of the SRS flight segment, is an uncrewed robotic laboratory about the size of two minivans composed of a re-entry module and an orbital module. Its dynamic configuration allows payloads for an array of applications, orbit altitudes and inclinations (compatible with the performance of the launcher) and mission durations.
The Space Rider vehicle is designed to perform in-orbit demonstrations (IOD) or in-orbit validations (IOV) of technologies developed for the in-orbit services and close proximity operations domains. The vehicle has the unique capability to return the dedicated payload back to Earth for further analysis or possible re-use.
The Space Rider vehicle can perform orbital manoeuvres and maintain specific attitudes to release small satellites or cubesats from the payload dispenser during its mission.
The Missions
Space Rider vehicles remain in LEO for about two months after launch. During this time, it performs experiments inside its cargo bay, such as technology demonstrations and research activities in various fields, such as pharmaceutics, biology and physical sciences.
Reusability
At the end of its mission, the re-entry module will return to Earth and land on a dedicated area to retrieve the flown payloads. Meanwhile, the orbital module will perform a destructive re-entry. The re-entry module is then refurbished for another flight.
