23.06.2023
Full ignition for ESA’s reusable rocket engine
Work to develop a reusable engine for European rockets is progressing, with full ignition of an early prototype of Prometheus. These images were taken on 22 June 2023 at ArianeGroup’s test facility in Vernon, France during a 12-second burn.
According to ArianeGroup, which is developing Prometheus under contact to ESA, testing will continue at the end of 2023 at the German aerospace agency DLR’s test site in Lampoldshausen, Germany.
The 100-tonne thrust class Prometheus features extensive use of new materials and manufacturing techniques designed to reduce its cost to just a tenth of Ariane 5’s Vulcain 2, an upgraded version of which – Vulcain 2.1 – powers the core stage of Ariane 6.