RETALT project: European reusable launch systems for more sustainability in spaceflight

[DocM]

Better late than never...

 

Title is from the DLR page

 

Images at the DLR link

 

DLR (German space agency)...

 

RETALT 1: a ripoff of Falcon 9
RETALT 2: an SSTO riff of DC-X

 

Ars Technica...

 

Quote

Europe says SpaceX dominating launch, vows to develop Falcon 9-like rocket

"What is state-of-the-art in the USA is only in its beginnings in Europe."

This month, the European Commission revealed a new three-year project to develop technologies needed for two proposed reusable launch vehicles. The commission provided E3 million to the German space agency, DLR, and five companies to, in the words of a news release about the project, "tackle the shortcoming of know-how in reusable rockets in Europe."

This new RETALT project's goals are pretty explicit about copying the retro-propulsive engine firing technique used by SpaceX to land its Falcon 9 rocket first stages back on land and on autonomous drone ships. The Falcon 9 rocket's ability to land and fly again is "currently dominating the global market," the European project states. "We are convinced that it is absolutely necessary to investigate Retro Propulsion Assisted Landing Technologies to make re-usability state-of-the-art in Europe."
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[Beittil]

As a European I shall say... *YAWN*

 

To little, to late... 

[DocM]

Pretty much. By the time they get RETALT 1 flying Starship, and possibly a fully reusable vehicle from Blue Origin, will have made it obsolete.

 

RETALT 2 then has to face Starship 2.0, or whatever else Musk's merry band of pirates come up with.