After integration was completed, the first Themis prototype was transferred to Launch Complex 3 and erected on its launch pad.
The first stage demonstrator of Themis stands 30 metres tall and is powered by a Prometheus rocket engine.
The first Themis prototype was transported 3,000 kilometers from ArianeGroup's facility in Les Mureaux, France, to Esrange.
Christophe Grudler, head of the ITRE Committee delegation, emphasized the significance of the Themis prototype for Europe's strategic autonomy and industrial leadership.
The first Themis prototype, T1H, features a single Prometheus engine and is intended for low-altitude hop tests from Esrange.
The Themis project is funded by the European Space Agency and through the European Union initiative called SALTO.
ArianeGroup has fully integrated the first Themis reusable rocket demonstrator on a launch pad in Sweden.
ESA Member States adopted the Themis programme in November 2019 to develop and mature key technologies for future reusable rockets.
The combined tests of Themis will validate the interfaces between the rocket and the pad’s mechanical, electrical, and fluid systems.
The Themis demonstrator will undergo a combined test campaign before an initial low-altitude hop test.
The schedule revision indicates that Themis, another high-capacity reusable rocket demonstrator, is likely to conduct its initial tests from the Esrange spaceport in Sweden, scheduled for early 2026, before Callisto is sent to French Guiana.
Themis, Europe's other reusable rocket demonstrator, is scheduled to conduct initial hop tests from Esrange in Sweden in early 2026.
ArianeGroup engineers and the Swedish Space Corporation will perform a general rehearsal on the launch platform to validate the methane and liquid oxygen propellants used by Themis.
The first prototype of Themis is located at the launch platform in the Esrange Space Center in Sweden.
Rocket demonstrators like Themis enable practical testing of new technologies before implementation in operational rockets.
Both components will be tested as part of the qualification model for the Themis rocket.
Themis conducted a vehicle fit check in December 2024, confirming that its main components fit as expected and that mechanical connections and interfaces connected smoothly.
The Sener engineering team in Poland is responsible for the design and production of two essential components for the grid fin system in the Themis program.
The Themis project aims to develop reusable rockets and enhance industrial and space sovereignty.
The hot-fire test requires filling the propellant tanks and executing a full countdown for launch, although Themis will remain anchored to the ground.