Callisto

Active Re-Usable

National Center of Space Research (CNES)

None

Description

Callisto is a demonstrator designed to conduct flight testing and mature the complex technologies required to return a launcher to Earth, as well as refurbishment operations between flights, and to precisely cost an operational European launcher with a reusable first stage (it is not intended to become an operational launcher). Standing for “Cooperative Action Leading to Launcher Innovation in Stage Toss-back Operations”, Callisto is a project being pursued with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the German space agency DLR. A large number of international contractors are also contributing to the experiment, among them ArianeGroup and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

Specifications
  • Stages
    1
  • Length
    13.0 m
  • Diameter
    1.1 m
  • Fairing Diameter
  • Launch Mass
  • Thrust
    46.0 kN
  • Apogee (Sub-Orbital)
    20.0 km
Family
  • Name
    Callisto
  • Family
  • Variant
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    Callisto
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
  • Low Earth Orbit
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
  • Direct Geostationary
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity

National Center of Space Research

Government
CEO: François Jacq
CNES 1961

The National Center of Space Research, or CNES, is a French National Agency in charge of France's space program. In partnership with the US and Russia, they have put 10 people in space. CNES works in tandem with the larger ESA to develop the Ariane 5 and work on other probes and satellites. They are working with Germany to develop a cheaper and more efficient reusable rocket, which hopefully will be ready to fly by 2026.

Upcoming Spaceflights


Callisto | Flight 1

National Center of Space Research | France
Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
TBD December, 2027
Status: To Be Determined
Mission:

First test flight of the Callisto VTVL demonstrator.

Suborbital Callisto - Maiden Flight Diamant Launch Area Landing Pad
Explore Share

Falcon 9
Success
1 day, 14 hours ago
Starlink Group 10-37
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

A batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Falcon 9
Success
3 days, 6 hours ago
Starlink Group 11-21
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 28 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Falcon 9
Success
4 days, 15 hours ago
Starlink Group 10-21
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

A batch of 28 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Long March 3
Success
5 days, 2 hours ago
Gaofen-14 02
Launch Complex 3 (LC-3/LA-1) - Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Gaofen is a series of civilian Earth observation satellites developed and launched for the China High-definition Earth Observation System (CHEOS), a …


H3-24
Success
5 days, 6 hours ago
HTV-X1
Yoshinobu Launch Complex LP-2 - Tanegashima Space Center, Japan

First flight of the upgraded Japanese HTV-X spacecraft designed to resupply the International Space Station.