Prometheus and Themis contract rider signature ceremony

Signature ceremony at ESA Headquarters in Paris, France where Philippe Clar, Director of Civil Space Programs at ArianeGroup and ESA’s director of Space Transportation Toni-Tolker Nielsen signed contract riders for the reusable Prometheus engine and Themis rocket stage demonstrator, 20 November 2024.

The first Themis rocket prototype demonstrator is being finalised by ArianeGroup in Les Mureaux, France. The project aims to deliver low-cost rocket recovery and reuse technologies using the reusable, methane-fuelled engine Prometheus. A low-altitude hop-test using Themis is scheduled next year from Esrange launch facility in Sweden, as part of the EU’s SALTO project.

The contract extensions worth approximately € 230 million are to further demonstrate and test evolutions of the Prometheus engine and the Themis demonstrator with higher and more hop-tests.

The contract rider for Prometheus will focus on demonstrating a refined model using industrial, low-cost, manufacturing processes and assessing engine maintenance and reusability. The contract includes work to adapt the “PF50” test stand in Vernon, France, used to test Vulcain engines, to provide methane-fuel for further firing tests of the Prometheus engine.

The new-model Prometheus will then be integrated into a new Themis rocket first stage demonstrator known as T1E for Themis One-engine Evolution. This second demonstrator will have upgraded structures and propellant tanks allowing it to fly higher and for longer from its launch facility for testing at Esrange near Kiruna, Sweden.

ArianeGroup at Vernon in France is leading a team of subcontractors working on Prometheus that are located in Germany, Sweden, Belgium, Netherlands and Switzerland.