Manufacturer Swiss Space Systems | Engines NK-39 | |
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Function Autonomous suborbital launch and landing Stages Air-launched, one as fully reusable spacecraft or two as partially reusable spacecraft | ||
SOAR is a partially reusable air-launched spaceplane launch system designed to launch small satellites on a suborbital or orbital trajectory. The vehicle, derived from the Hermes spacecraft developed by the European Space Agency, is planned to be built, launched, and operated by Swiss Space Systems. The spaceplane will launch from an Airbus A300 aircraft named S3 Zero Gravity Airliner. Once at altitude, the spaceplane will separate from the aircraft and ignite an NK-39 engine developed by Russian Federal Space Agency. After fuel depletion at about 80 kilometers altitude, the plane will release its payload before gliding back and landing on Earth.
Contents
The launch vehicle will also have low Earth orbit capability when launched in conjunction with an expendable upper stage. Swiss Space Systems has contracted the Russian firm RKK Energia to develop the upper stage. With an upper stage, the spacecraft will be able to launch a 250 kilogram payload into orbit.
The spaceplane is currently targeted to have its first test launch by 2017. Swiss Space Systems claims that the spaceplane could cost about four times less than current suborbital launch costs.
Development
Swiss Space Systems announced 2015 that the airplane will begin test flights in 2016. Additionally, by Spring 2016 the company plans to begin drop testing of the spaceplane, which would include dropping a scaled-down boilerplate spacecraft which would autonomously land in an airport. As of September 2014, test firings of the engine were expected to begin in late 2015.
The company also partnered with Bauman Moscow State Technical University in 2013. According to Explore Deep Space, this partnership will "enable the exchange of academicals between Russia and Switzerland".
Planned
Completed
No missions have been completed as of 2015.
Human Spaceflight
In 2013, Swiss Space Systems declared their intention to eventually upgrade the spaceplane for human spaceflight. The company also announced a partnership with Thales Alenia Space for the design and construction of a pressurized compartment for the spaceplane's occupants. The company announced its intention to use a derivative of SOAR as a new high-speed human transport system instead of space tourism. According to Pascal Jaussi, CEO of the corporation, "Far from wishing to launch into the space tourism market, we want rather to establish a new mode of air travel based on our satellite launch model that will allow spaceports on different continents to be reached in an hour."
Expansion
The company has created multiple subsidiaries to support a network of launch and landing sites, with locations in the United States, United Arab Emirates, and Croatia.
A subsidiary of the company, S3 USA Operations Inc, was formed in early 2014. The company plans to use the retired Space Shuttle landing site at Kennedy Space Center for the operation of SOAR.
In 2015, Swiss Space Systems announced a partnership with the financial institution D&B Group to create a joint subsidiary named S3 Middle East. This partnership, according to Satellite Today, will allow the company to attempt SOAR launch certification in the United Arab Emirates. In March 2016 Amin Forati opened through his company D&B Groups a bank guarantee of 30 Mil $ in favour of S3 but such a large sum didn't save S3 from bankruptcy. This point has not been yet made clear since not explanations and details were given about money destination. Mr.Amin Forati in September runway from Dubai and in November two criminal cases for fraud result opened in UAE against him.