CALLISTO (Cooperative Action Leading to Launcher Innovation in Stage Toss-back Operations) is a reusable VTVL demonstrator[1] propelled by a small 40 kN Japanese LOX-LH2 rocket engine. It is being developed jointly by the German Aerospace Center (DLR), the French Space Agency (CNES), and the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
The goals for CALLISTO are to mature and demonstrate the technologies[2] which are necessary to build and operate a reusable launch vehicle, but also to better assess the operational cost of such a vehicle. The first flight was originally planned to occur in late 2020; it has since been postponed to 2025 at the earliest.[3] Following the programme's conclusion, the experiences and technologies gained through CALLISTO will be harnessed to benefit other ongoing and future space programmes, such as the development of the European reusable launcher Ariane Next.[4]
- ^ Dumont, E; Ecker, T; Chavagnac, C; Witte, L; Windelberg, J; Klevanski, J; Giagkozoglou, S (2018), "CALLISTO - Reusable VTVL launcher first stage demonstrator" (PDF), Space Propulsion Conference 2018, Sevilla, Spain.
- ^ Dumont, E; Ishimoto, S; Tatiossian, P (June 2019), "CALLISTO: a Demonstrator for Reusable Launcher Key Technologies", 32nd ISTS, Fukui, Japan., 19 (1): 106, Bibcode:2021JSAST..19..106D, doi:10.2322/tastj.19.106, S2CID 209770790
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
cnes-callistowas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Patureau de Mirand, Antoine (July 2019). Ariane Next, a vision for a reusable cost efficient European rocket (PDF). 8th European Conference for Aeronautics and Space Sciences. doi:10.13009/EUCASS2019-949. Retrieved 18 August 2021.