Saenger (spacecraft)

Sänger
Model in the Technik Museum Speyer.
Role Re-usable spaceplane
National origin Germany
Manufacturer Junkers
Designer Eugen Sänger
Status Cancelled in 1994[1]
Produced 0

Saenger or Sänger was a West German concept design for a two-stage-to-orbit spaceplane. It is named after Eugen Sänger, who had been a key figure in the development of the concept for aerospace company Junkers.[2][3]

Its first incarnation, designated as Saenger I, started development during the 1960s. German aerospace firm Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm (MBB) produced concepts for its use as both a hypersonic passenger airliner and as a two-stage launch vehicle for deploying various payloads, including astronauts via the conceptual Horus (Hypersonic Orbital Upper Stage) spaceplane, into orbit. These ideas drew the support of the German Aerospace Center (DLR), leading to further detailed studies being conducted as a part of a national-level hypersonic study.

During the 1980s, the German government took increasing interest in the project for use as a reusable launch system, resulting in the project gaining official support and work commencing on an enlarged version of the vehicle, known as Saenger II. Work on the project was terminated during 1995 as a consequence of the high projected costs of proceeding and perceived limited performance gains (in comparison to existing expendable launch systems such as the Ariane 5 rocket).

  1. ^ "High-elevation equatorial catapult-launched RBCC SSTO spaceplane for economic manned access to LEO". International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace. 3 (2). April 27, 2016. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  2. ^ Hallmann, Willi and Ley, W. (Eds.) Handbuch der Raumfahrttechnik. Carl Hanser Verlag, 1969, ISBN 3-446-15130-3.
  3. ^ Collins 1990, p. 180.