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Air Launch space Transportation using an Automated aircraft and an Innovative Rocket

Objective

ALTAIR’s strategic objective is to demonstrate the feasibility of a new cost effective and reliable space launch system for the access to Low-Earth Orbit (400-1000 km) of small satellites ranging from 50 to 150 kg. The ALTAIR launch system aims to be the expected answer to the needs of small satellites users, providing an affordable and adapted access to space service, without the constraints of current rideshare launch options. ALTAIR will boost space applications to the benefit of an increased spectrum of users, from classic satellite operators to academics and research centres.
To support this ambitious goal, the ALTAIR system combines an innovative semi-reusable concept and the integration of relevant technologies in all parts of the system. ALTAIR is an innovative air-launch system using a reusable unmanned aircraft carrier optimised specifically for this mission. The expendable rocket launch vehicle, which is released at high altitude, associates green propellant hybrid propulsion, lightweight composite structure, innovative avionics and a versatile upper-stage, providing mission flexibility. Cost-effective ground operations are obtained through innovative ground systems architecture.
ALTAIR will pave the way for a feasible system ready to address the market’s need through an original approach associating a cost-oriented preliminary design of the whole system (carrier vehicle, launch vehicle and ground segment) using advanced Multidisciplinary Design Optimisation techniques, and the definition of a credible development roadmap and business model, supported by market analyses. The design will be supported by flight experimentations for key technologies using the existing small scale demonstrator EOLE.
The 36-month ALTAIR project benefits from a solid and proven heritage, and gathers the experience of 8 partners from 6 countries (including industrial companies, research centres and a technical centre of a space agency), for a total EC contribution of 3.5 M€.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

RIA - Research and Innovation action

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) H2020-COMPET-2015

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Coordinator

OFFICE NATIONAL D'ETUDES ET DE RECHERCHES AEROSPATIALES
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 1 164 487,25
Address
CHEMIN DE LA HUNIERE
91120 Palaiseau
France

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Region
Ile-de-France Ile-de-France Essonne
Activity type
Research Organisations
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Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 1 164 487,25

Participants (8)

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