ArianeGroup's Multirole Susie Upper Stage Prototype Undergoes Testing
ArianeGroup has begun testing a prototype of its Smart Upper Stage for Innovative Exploration (SUSIE), a versatile spacecraft designed to enhance European independence in spaceflight. The two-meter-tall, 100-kilogram demonstrator is the first step in ArianeGroup's roadmap to validate the concept, with testing expected to continue until Q2 2025. The full-sized SUSIE, measuring 12 meters tall and with a payload capacity of seven tons, aims to launch atop an Ariane 64 rocket and can carry cargo or up to five astronauts. It is designed to be fully reusable and capable of precision landings using engines or a parachute. The development team is focusing on practical hardware-based testing, including parachute and abort tests, and consultations have been held with European astronauts and Airbus on the human-machine interface. The timeline for a smaller commercial cargo version of SUSIE could be ready for 2028, meeting the deadline set by the European Space Agency (ESA) for the European reusable cargo system contest.
