The EU Extends SALTO Deadline Again as Themis Hop Test Slips

What happened

The European Commission has extended the deadline for the SALTO reusable launcher project to the end of 2026, giving the programme another three months to complete the first hop test of Europe’s Themis reusable rocket demonstrator. According to the European Commission’s project database, the reuSable strAtegic space Launcher Technologies & Operations (SALTO) initiative is now […] The post The EU Extends SALTO Deadline Again as Themis Hop Test Slips appeared first on European Spaceflight .

According to the European Commission’s project database, the reuSable strAtegic space Launcher Technologies & Operations (SALTO) initiative is now due to be concluded on 31 December 2026. It is the latest in a series of extensions that have pushed the completion date back from the original November 2025 deadline. The ArianeGroup-led SALTO initiative is a €42.8 million EU research project layered onto the ESA-managed Themis programme.