French firm poised to lead Europe’s reusable rocket revolution

French aerospace company MaiaSpace is on track to become the first European launch provider to introduce reusable orbital vehicles.

By leveraging existing technologies and optimizing its vehicle design, the company is poised to make significant strides in the competitive space industry, Caliber.Az reports, citing a website covering space flight-specific news.

In an exclusive interview with NSF, MaiaSpace CEO Yohann Leroy discussed the company’s plans for its upcoming launch vehicle, expected to make its inaugural flight in 2024. “Our mission is to bring to the launch pad, in four years, the first European reusable and eco-responsible mini launcher,” Leroy explained.

Named Maia, the vehicle will be capable of carrying payloads between 500 kg and 4,000 kg, depending on the target orbit. Like SpaceX’s Falcon rockets, the first stage of Maia will land on a barge at sea for recovery and reuse. 

MaiaSpace aims to launch its first Maia vehicle by 2026, a goal made achievable by utilizing pre-existing European technologies. “Our idea is not to reinvent the wheel but to use the technologies that have been developed here and there in Europe,” Leroy added. The company has already made significant progress, with prototypes of key components undergoing testing within a year of the project’s inception. 

Cryogenic tests were conducted on both stages in June 2023, while the Prometheus engine demonstrator from ArianeGroup was also undergoing test firings. Founded in 2022 as a subsidiary of ArianeGroup, MaiaSpace describes itself as a European company, with over half of its partners based outside France. “What we are trying to do is combine the best of two worlds. We are a startup company, but we are also a spin-off from the ArianeGroup,” said Leroy. Operating as a self-funded private entity allows MaiaSpace the autonomy to make independent decisions while benefiting from the experience and expertise of ArianeGroup’s rocket developers.

By Naila Huseynova