Hopper (spacecraft)

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Hopper is a proposed European Space Agency orbital craft advanced concept. The advanced studies is supported by the EADS Phoenix flight test project.

Hopper is advertised to be more economical than today's space vehicles and even reliable for manned space operations. It is anticipated that the production craft could enter use between 2015 and 2020. Hopper is to be launched on a 4 km magnetic track which would accelerate it to launch speed, providing far cheaper access to space than the current launchers.

[edit] External links

• PHOENIX: Future prospects in space transport through reusable launch systems - EADS site - three years ago
• European Space Shuttle Glides To Success