Europe's Space Rider vehicle comes crashing down during drop test

The European Space Agency lost a full-scale prototype of its Space Rider spacecraft during a planned drop test on October 6 in Sardinia. Officials reported that the robotic vehicle crashed into the ground after its main steerable parachute detached during deployment. During the test at an Italian military range, a helicopter released the minivan-sized mockup from an altitude of about two miles.

The vehicle's initial drogue parachute deployed correctly, but the main parafoil separated immediately afterward. ESA officials confirmed that all components have been recovered, and an independent investigation is underway to determine the root cause. Space Rider is designed to be Europe's first reusable orbital spacecraft, capable of carrying scientific experiments to space for two months and returning them to Earth.

Unlike capsule-style vehicles, its wingless, lifting-body design relies on a steerable parafoil to make runway-style touchdowns. Géraldine Naja, ESA's director of space transportation, stated that the mishap is not expected to disrupt the development schedule or delay future qualification activities. ESA currently targets the spacecraft's first orbital mission for later this decade.