European Shuttle Program Update

Rolo Tomasi writes "ESA's reusable launch vehicle demonstrator, Phoenix, was recently wind tunnel tested to determine its low speed aerodynamics. A free flight for Phoenix is planned for early summer 2004. In case you haven't heard of it yet, here's an article from last year, describing the Phoenix/HOPPER concept. Here's another page at ESA, but it seems to be available only in German. What's interesting is the first sentence of the DLR press release, stating that (my translation) 'Europe's future and competitiveness in space substantially depend on an autonomous access to space and 'on a drastic decrease in the transport costs of getting there.'"

Comments

Good choice for a name?

[Anonymous Coward]

They are hoping if it does crash and burst into flames that it will just rise from the ashes reborn. Phoenix technology would have saved the NASA space program billions.

Carmack!!!

[cliffy2000]

Where is John Carmack to explain this to us when we need him? Why have you left us, Carmack?
WHY??? ::weeps over keyboard::

Re:Bad choice for a name?

[NanoGator]

"I mean Phoenix was a bird of fire, maybe ESA should name it after something that does not soar across the sky in fire? "

Well they'd already rejected the name Icarus.

Cheaper flights with Ryan-air?

[adeyadey]

Simple solution, get Ryan-air to do it!
Then we will get:

Moon - from 15.00 return
Mars - from 25.00 return
Sun - from 35.00 (one way)
etc..

Spaceport taxes not included.
Of course if you want to travel at
a time *you* want the cost is:

Moon - from 2.5 billion return
etc..