Themis completed its second ground rehearsal at Esrange

Themis completed its second wet dress rehearsal at Esrange Space Center in Sweden on September 29, 2026, rehearsing flight chronology and ground operations for a full-scale demonstrator of a European reusable main stage. SSC announced the completed exercise on October 7. A wet dress rehearsal is a ground run-through of launch chronology and related operations, not a flight or landing.

Liquid nitrogen and the countdown sequence

ESA Transport described loading Themis with several tonnes of liquid nitrogen chilled to approximately −200 °C. The rehearsal also repeated the countdown’s final automated phase, known as the synchronized sequence.

Teams explored post-flight operations using robots designed to secure the vehicle after landing. Those procedures were rehearsed on the ground; Themis did not fly or land during this exercise.

Robot-assisted operations within SALTO

Themis is part of SALTO, an EU-funded campaign to mature technologies for future reusable launch systems. ArianeGroup coordinates SALTO and is Themis’s prime contractor. The project brings together 25 partners from 12 EU countries.

The next test window

In its October 7 announcement, SSC said teams were defining a window for the next test.