Maia (rocket)
French orbital reusable rocket of the company MaiaSpace
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Maia rocket is a future orbital reusable launch vehicle under development by the French startup MaiaSpace, a wholly-owned subsidiary of ArianeGroup.[1][2][3][4] A two-stage rocket, it will consist of a first stage with three Prometheus engines as well as a re-ignitable second stage with a single Prometheus engine. An optional Colibri kick stage could be added if need be, powered by a cluster of engines whose development has been outsourced to the Polish institute Łukasiewicz–ILOT.[5]
France| Function | Partially reusable orbital launch vehicle |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | MaiaSpace (ArianeGroup) |
| Country of origin | France |
| Size | |
| Height | 50 m (160 ft) |
| Diameter | 3.5 m (11 ft) |
| Stages | 2 (plus optional 3rd) |
| Capacity | |
| Payload to LEO | |
| Mass | 500 kg (1,100 lb) when reusable 1,500 kg (3,300 lb) when expendable 2,500 kg (5,500 lb) with 3rd stage and fully expendable |
| Payload to SSO | |
| Mass | 500 kg (1,100 lb) when reusable 1,500 kg (3,300 lb) when expendable 2,500 kg (5,500 lb) with 3rd stage and fully expendable |
| Associated rockets | |
| Based on | Themis |
| Comparable | Miura 5, Firefly Alpha |
| Launch history | |
| Status | In development |
| Launch sites | Guiana, ELS |
| First flight | 2027 (planned) |
| First stage | |
| Powered by | 3 × Prometheus |
| Propellant | Methane/LOX |
| Second stage | |
| Powered by | 1 × Prometheus |
| Propellant | Methane/LOX |
| Optional third stage – Colibri | |
| Powered by | multiple engines developed by Łukasiewicz–ILOT |
Maia will deliver up to 500 kg to low Earth orbit (LEO) when the first stage is recovered and 1,500 kg when fully expendable.[3] The addition of Colibri will give the rocket a performance boost of at least 1,000 kg to LEO for each version.[2] The reusable first stage will be equipped with landing legs, grid fins, and an attitude control system for controlled landing on a barge at sea.[6] The inaugural suborbital flight of Maia is expected in 2027,[7] and the first stage recovery in 2028.[8]
Background
The reusable Prometheus engine, which will power Maia's first and second stages, was developed using funding from the European Space Agency's (ESA) Future Launchers Preparatory Programme (FLPP).[2] The Colibri's engines will be based on technology developed by Łukasiewicz–ILOT as part of its GRACE 1 & 2 projects,[9][10] also funded through FLPP.[5] The first stage of Maia will utilize a number of technologies developed for ESA's Themis reusable rocket demonstrator, again funded through FLPP.[11] Reusability of the first stage will be further developed within the project SkyHopper, which receives funding from CNES.[4] Maia will be launching from the ELS launchpad at the Guiana Space Centre formerly used by Soyuz at CSG and abandoned after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.[12][13]
Development
- The first cryogenic test of a full-scale prototype of the Maia's second stage has been completed in September 2023.[14]
- In August 2025, MaiaSpace has completed a six-month test campaign of high-pressure burst tests on subscale prototypes of Maia's propellant tanks.[15]
- In September 2025, MaiaSpace successfully tested firing of two Colibri kick stage engines simultaneously.[16]
Launches
MaiaSpace has secured its first commercial customer in March 2025, when they signed a multi-launch agreement with the French company Exotrail[17] to carry its Spacevan orbital transfer vehicle to LEO starting not earlier than 2027.[18] In January 2026, MaiaSpace secured a multi-launch contract with Eutelsat to launch satellites for its OneWeb constellation to low Earth orbit.[19]
See also
- European Launcher Challenge – Space launch vehicle development programme of the European Space Agency
- Other orbital launchers under development in Europe:
- Ariane Next – Orbital recoverable launch vehicle of the European company ArianeGroup
- Miura 5 – European orbital recoverable rocket of the company PLD Space
- Miura Next – European orbital recoverable rocket of the company PLD Space
- RFA One – Space launch vehicle in development
- Spectrum – Two-stage small launch vehicle