This article needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(June 2015)
Mock-up of the vehicle at Paris Air Show 2007
The Airbus Defence and Space Spaceplane, also called EADS Astrium TBN according to some sources,[1] is a suborbital spaceplane concept for carrying space tourists, proposed by EADS Astrium (currently Airbus Defence and Space), the space subsidiary of the European consortium EADS (currently Airbus). A full-size mockup was officially unveiled in Paris, France, on June 13, 2007,[2] and is now on display in the Concorde hall of the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace.[3] The project is the first space tourism entry by a major aerospace contractor.
It is a rocket plane with a large wingspan, straight rearwards wing and a pair of canards.[4] Propulsion is ensured by classical turbofan jet engines for the atmospheric phase[5] and a methane-oxygen rocket engine for the space tourism phase. It can carry a pilot and four passengers. The dimensions and looks are somewhat similar to those of a business jet.
As of 2007[update], EADS Astrium hoped to start development of this rocket plane by 2008, with the objective of a first flight in 2011.[needs update] There was also a possibility that the Tunisian area of Tozeur might be used for the initial flights.[6] Demonstrator test flight regarding conditions encountered in the end-of-flight phase of a return from space occurred on June 5, 2014.[7]
As of 2015, EADS Astrium was waiting for investors.[8]
^Radio interview of French ESA astronaut Jean-François Clervoy, during the show of Jacques Pradel on Europe 1, June 21, 2007
^Peter B. de Selding (13 June 2007). "Europe unveils space plane for tourist market". NBC News. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
^"The Space Sector is Really Beginning to Take Off". sealtron.com. 8 November 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
^Astrium dévoile son projet d'avion-fusée Le Figaro, June 14, 2007, Page 18
^Space jet’s turbofans can cope with vacuum says EADS Rob Coppinger Flightglobal.com June 21, 2007
^"Tunis espère que le site de Tozeur sera retenu pour le lancement du futur avion spatial". Canada.com. 2007-06-13. Archived from the original on 2012-10-25. Retrieved 2007-06-14.
^"Airbus tests SpacePlane demonstrator". Archived from the original on 2014-11-08. Retrieved 2014-06-05.
^Meet Adeline, Airbus’ Answer To SpaceX Reusability. Peter B. de Selding, Space News. 5 June 2015.
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