Spearheaded by CNES (Centre National d’Études Spatiales) and later adopted by the European Space Agency (ESA), the Hermès Spaceplane was intended to be a crewed reusable spaceplane capable of transporting astronauts and cargo into low Earth orbit (LEO), primarily to service space stations and conduct scientific missions.
Origins and Goals
The Hermès project officially began in 1985, driven by France’s desire to establish an independent human spaceflight capability. At the time, space access was dominated by the United States and the Soviet Union. Europe, having developed successful uncrewed launch systems like the Ariane rockets, aimed to build on that success by developing a crewed vehicle.
Hermès was designed to launch atop a specially modified version of the Ariane 5 rocket. It would carry three astronauts and a small cargo payload. The plan was for it to perform missions like microgravity research, satellite servicing, and crew transfers to future European or international space stations.
Design Features
Hermès looked somewhat like a scaled-down version of NASA’s Space Shuttle:
About 19 meters long
Mass of ~20 tons at launch
Crew capacity: 2–3 astronauts
Internal pressurized cabin for crew and experiments
Heat shield for atmospheric reentry
Glider-style, horizontal landing on conventional runways
It was a lifting-body design, intended to survive multiple missions with reusability features.
Cancellation & Legacy
Despite early support, Hermès was cancelled in 1992 before reaching the hardware testing phase. Several factors led to this:
Soaring costs and delays
Technical challenges, particularly in integrating with Ariane 5
A shift in ESA priorities toward international cooperation, including greater participation in the International Space Station (ISS) program
The success and availability of U.S. and Russian crewed systems, which made Hermès seem redundant
While Hermès never flew, it had a lasting impact. It contributed design concepts to later programs like ESA’s Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) and space capsule studies. It also helped strengthen European aerospace capabilities and fostered long-term industrial collaboration.
Lessons learned influenced future European exploration plans, including concepts for mini-shuttles like the Space Rider. So, Hermès remains a symbol of Europe’s ambition in human spaceflight—a technically bold project that paved the way for later, more collaborative efforts.
