Hopper (spacecraft)

Hopper is a proposed European Space Agency orbital craft. The current flight test body in this programme is the EADS Phoenix.

Hopper is designed to be more economical than today's space vehicles and even reliable for manned space operations. In the first few decades of the 21st century, it will be the first independent manned European non-military attempt at space operations and will be an important part of the ISS project. It is anticipated that the production craft will enter use between 2015 and 2020. Hopper is to be launched on a 4 km magnetic track which will accelerate it to launch speed, providing far cheaper access to space than the current Ariane 5 launcher.

Hopper replaces the cancelled European Space Shuttle Hermes.