Airbus Defence and Space Spaceplane
| Company type | Division of Airbus |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace, Space tourism |
| Predecessor | EADS Astrium |
| Headquarters | Europe (France, Germany, Spain) |
Key people | Robert Lainé (CTO as of early 2011), François Auque (former chairman) |
| Products | Suborbital spaceplane concept for space tourism |
| Parent | Airbus Defence and Space |
The Airbus Defence and Space Spaceplane, formerly known as EADS Astrium TBN, represents a concept for a suborbital spaceplane tailored to space tourists, developed by EADS Astrium (now part of Airbus Defence and Space), the space division within the European aerospace corporation EADS (currently Airbus). A life-size mockup was presented in Paris, France, on June 13, 2007, and is currently exhibited at the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace. This initiative was the first venture into space tourism by a leading aerospace manufacturer.
The craft's design incorporates a wide wingspan with straight rear wings and canards. It employs turbofan jet engines for flight within the atmosphere, transitioning to a methane-oxygen rocket engine for propulsion in space. The vehicle accommodates one pilot alongside four passengers, with dimensions comparable to those of a business jet.
In 2007, EADS Astrium planned to commence development in 2008, aiming for an inaugural flight by 2011. Early test flights were proposed to take place near Tozeur in Tunisia. A demonstration test flight simulating the final flight phase occurred on June 5, 2014.
By 2015, EADS Astrium was actively seeking financial backers to further the program.
Origin of the project
This initiative began as a proposal from young engineers at EADS Astrium located in France, Germany, Britain, and Spain. Following two years of confidential research, it received endorsement from EADS Astrium chairman François Auque. The concept shares similarities with the Rocketplane XP, with studies indicating that Rocketplane's hybrid jet and rocket propulsion system offered the most practical solution.
A dedicated team elaborated on the design concept, integrating expertise from Astrium, other subsidiaries within EADS such as Socata, and external industry collaborators. Esteemed Australian designer Marc Newson, recognized for his aviation design work as Creative Director at Qantas, was invited to contribute his insights.
Flight profile
Following takeoff, the spaceplane climbs to an altitude of 12 km during a standard aerodynamic phase lasting approximately 45 minutes. Subsequently, the pilot shuts down the jet engines and activates the methane-oxygen rocket engine mounted at the rear. This propels the vehicle vertically for around 90 seconds at velocities reaching Mach 3 while experiencing peak accelerations up to 3 g (30 m/s²). Upon reaching 60 km altitude, the rocket engine is cut off, allowing the craft to coast up to its peak altitude of 100 km—entering a period of weightlessness.
The descent phase begins with high-angle-of-attack atmospheric braking down to 15 km altitude. The turbofan engines are then restarted to enable transition back to conventional flight mode and landing on a regular runway.
Characteristics
At liftoff, the vehicle has a mass of 18 metric tons (39,700 lb) and is powered by two jet engines along with an oxygen-methane rocket engine delivering 30 tons of thrust. This rocket engine draws on technology from the Vulcain engine used in the Ariane 5 launcher and is designed for up to thirty reuses. It utilizes methane instead of hydrogen as fuel, which improves tank efficiency due to methane’s greater density (667.2 kg/m3 compared to hydrogen’s 89.9 kg/m3).
The cabin diameter measures 2.3 m (7 ft 6 in), providing each occupant with approximately 3 m3 (10.6 ft3) of space. Passenger seats are mounted on a pendular suspension system that orients occupants’ backs perpendicular to acceleration forces during both launch and reentry phases, thereby enhancing comfort and safety.
Engineered for a service lifespan of ten years, the spaceplane is intended to operate at a cadence of one flight per week.
Industrial organisation
EADS Astrium, under the leadership of CTO Robert Lainé as of early 2011, is spearheading the development efforts. The initial budget for development was estimated at approximately $1 billion, with the majority of financing expected from private investors; however, public funding from Bavaria—where the engines are manufactured—is also under consideration.
Astrium intends to manufacture up to five spacecraft annually, aiming to establish a fleet of 20 vehicles that will require producing 20 rocket engines each year. The firm is willing to offer these vehicles to other space tourism companies, including ventures such as Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic.
The final assembly process is conducted in France, while the rocket engines are produced in Ottobrunn, Germany. The carbon fiber components are fabricated in Spain. Multiple European industrial collaborators participate in this initiative.
By 2020, Astrium targets securing a 30% share of the space tourism market, accommodating roughly 5,000 passengers yearly. Ticket pricing has been set at €200,000 per passenger, which includes round-trip transportation to the spaceport, comprehensive training, and upscale lodging within a themed resort environment.
Criticisms
Burt Rutan, founder of Scaled Composites and a competitor in the space tourism sector to EADS, has voiced doubts about the feasibility of the EADS project. He highlighted that developing a suborbital vehicle equipped with both rocket and jet propulsion systems capable of atmospheric exit and reentry would incur costs surpassing those of their own SpaceShipTwo program.
See also
- Dream Chaser
- New Shepard
- SpaceShipTwo
- Zero Emission Hyper Sonic Transport
- XCOR Lynx (cancelled)
- Rocketplane XP (cancelled)
Text
- Astrium website
- Brochure
- Marc Newson Ltd.
- Project presentation at IAC 2007 Hyderabad
- Analysis by The Space Review
- Popsci article (EADS Spaceplane) - October 2007