Company - ArianeGroup (Arianespace)
Product/Service - Astris, Susie
- Classification
- In-Space Transportation
- Category
- Space Tug
Orbital Transportation
Space Situational Awareness (SSA)
- Fields
- Kick Stage
- Status
- Development
- First launch
- 2024
ASTRIS
- ESA will enhance the versatility of Europe’s Ariane 6 rocket with a kick stage called Astris in a €90 m development contract with prime contractor, ArianeGroup. This is part of ESA’s strategy to extend Ariane 6’s capabilities to serve a wider range of space transportation requirements.
- Astris is planned to fly by mid 2024 as an optional add-on to Ariane 6’s upper stage and will interface directly with the payload. This will enable Ariane 6 to offer a range of new space transportation services by allowing complex orbital transfers.
SUSIE
- ArianeGroup presents Susie (Smart Upper Stage for Innovative Exploration), an entirely reusable stage project which meets the future needs of transport and other missions to and in space.
- Susie will be able to function as an automated freighter and carry out crewed missions with astronauts in complete safety, from lift-off to landing.
- Susie replaces the launcher fairing and is designed to fly on an Ariane 64 as well as on a launcher of the following generation.
- Unveiled for the first time at the International Astronautical Congress in Paris (IAC 2022), Susie is a concept aiming to support European space efforts in the coming decades. It is based on an in-depth study of Europe’s future needs in terms of space transport and on-orbit services (OOS), and on the need for a profound change in the approach to access to space.