Space Rider

The spacecraft is designed to conduct missions up to two months long in low Earth orbit with up to 600 kg of cargo. The Space Rider (Space Reusable Integrated Demonstrator for Europe Return) is an uncrewed orbital lifting body spaceplane developed by the European Space Agency (ESA) to provide affordable and routine access to space. Development of Space Rider is led by the Italian Programme for Reusable In-orbit Demonstrator in Europe (PRIDE programme) in collaboration with ESA, and is the continuation of the Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle (IXV) experience, launched on 11 February 2015. Contracts for construction of the vehicle and ground infrastructure were signed in December 2020.