The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.
Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe
Go to topicProtecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit
Go to topicUsing space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth
Go to topicMaking space accessible and developing the technologies for the future
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A full-scale Themis functional ‘test bench’ in Vernon, France, is being used to put the Prometheus engine and Themis stage through their paces. Hot fire tests are regularly conducted at this test site, to analyse how the Prometheus engine behaves and gather data while staying securely in place and on the ground. The first Themis flight model, named T1H (Themis-1 engine-Hop tests), is also being assembled and tested with engineers validating the various systems and ensuring all elements work well together.
Themis is an ESA rocket prototype – a flagship European demonstrator for low-cost rocket recovery and reuse technologies. Themis will be powered by the reusable, methane-fuelled engine Prometheus, named after the Greek mythological figure who stole fire from the gods and brought it to humans. Themis was the mother of Prometheus. Developed with ArianeGroup as prime contractor and building on decades of European research and experience in rocketry and space operations, Themis is designed to launch, land vertically and live on for another mission.