The European Space Agency (ESA) has awarded a contract for the design a pioneering vessel for the recovery and reuse of rocket stages to the Italian aerospace and defence systems company Ingegneria Dei Sistemi (IDS). The company has subcontracted, the global shipbuilding group VARD, and Italian naval systems consultancy Cetena to assist with the project. The project is part of a broader contract awarded to the Italian rocket builder Avio for the development of a reusable rocket upper stage.
In late September, ESA awarded a €40 million contract to Avio for the design of a reusable rocket upper stage. The project scope encompasses preliminary design work, including system requirements and technological solutions, for both the launch system and the ground segment. According to the agency, the project has a number of potential applications, including as an evolution of Avio’s Vega family of rockets.
The maritime platform under development is a multipurpose drone vessel designed to retrieve rocket stages that land at sea after launch. These stages, which are typically lost or discarded, can now be recovered and reused, significantly improving the efficiency and sustainability of space missions. The vessel will be remotely operated and ultimately autonomous.
The project is part of a contract signed by ESA with Avio to develop and demonstrate reusable stages in flight, reinforcing the importance of sea-based recovery systems and the supporting infrastructure. The vessel can recover lower stages through vertical landing on a landing pad, and upper stages and fairing through horizontal landing in a net.
