SARDINIA, Italy, — The European Space Agency (ESA) is investigating a landing system failure after a full-scale test model of its reusable Space Rider spacecraft crashed during a drop test on October 6 at the Salto di Quirra military test range in Sardinia, Italy.
During the test, a helicopter released the minivan-sized model from an altitude of approximately three kilometres. The initial drogue parachute deployed as planned and began slowing the descent, but the main steerable parafoil detached during deployment. Without the primary controlled-descent system, the model fell and struck the ground.
The parafoil measures 27 metres long and 10 metres wide. The test model was designed to match the mass, shape and inertia of Space Rider’s approximately 4.6-metre-long re-entry module. The test aimed to validate the complete descent and landing sequence under representative conditions.
ESA recovered the damaged model’s components and established an independent investigation board to determine the cause of the detachment. During an October 22 media briefing, Géraldine Naja, ESA’s Director of Space Transportation, said investigators had not yet identified the cause. She described the crash as an “unfortunate but important event,” noting that testing and validation are standard parts of space system development.
The incident followed an earlier attempt in May 2026, which was aborted during the helicopter’s captive ascent after a sensor indicated a problem. The model was recovered safely, and testing resumed in October when the range became available again.
Earlier qualification tests had successfully demonstrated individual landing-system functions, including parafoil deployment, autonomous guidance and the transition from the drogue parachute to the main parafoil. Those tests used simpler mass simulators rather than the full-scale model.
Space Rider Development and Mission
Space Rider is being developed as Europe’s first uncrewed reusable spaceplane and orbital laboratory. The wingless, lifting-body vehicle is designed to carry scientific experiments into orbit for up to approximately two months, then return payloads to Earth for recovery and reuse. After landing, the spacecraft is intended to be refurbished and flown again.
Thales Alenia Space is the programme’s prime industrial contractor, working with partners including Avio. Space Rider is planned to launch aboard a Vega-C rocket.
Despite the test failure, ESA currently does not expect the incident to delay the remaining qualification activities or the first orbital mission. Naja indicated that the outstanding landing-system work is not on the programme’s critical path, allowing other development activities to continue during the investigation.
The spacecraft’s maiden orbital flight remains targeted for the first half of 2028. ESA will use the investigation’s findings to determine the next steps for completing landing-system qualification. The cause of the parafoil detachment remains under investigation.
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