French Innovation: AndroMach, Striving for Universal Microgravity Access Via a Reusable Suborbital Drone
In the heart of Paris, aerospace startup AndroMach is making waves with its innovative designs for suborbital and orbital vehicles. The company's flagship projects, Envol and Étoile, are set to revolutionise space exploration, offering affordable and flexible access to low Earth orbit (LEO) and paving the way for point-to-point transport across Earth.
Envol, a 100% European designed and built uncrewed suborbital drone, is the first step in AndroMach's journey into reusable flight technologies. The vehicle, powered by two turbojet engines and a rocket engine, takes off from a simple airport runway, unlike European space shuttles which usually require a launch from French Guiana. Scheduled for its first flight around mid-2026, the Envol's maiden voyage marks a significant milestone in AndroMach's mission to push the boundaries of space travel.
Before launching Étoile, the mini reusable orbital shuttle, AndroMach is developing Envol. The suborbital drone's microgravity capabilities open the door to emerging markets such as microgravity scientific research and in-orbit technology validation. It's worth noting that no commercial equivalent of Envol exists, neither in the U.S. nor in China.
Étoile, envisioned as a small orbital shuttle capable of multiple reuses, aims to provide affordable and flexible access to LEO. Scheduled for its first test flight in 2025, Étoile is designed to transport 100 kilograms of payload into LEO and return it to Earth. The goal of Étoile is to address the need for an affordable return of payloads from orbit.
Both Envol and Étoile are sourced with components from France or Europe to ensure strategic sovereignty and avoid export regulation issues. AndroMach has also secured support from CNES (the French space agency) for part of the propulsion development.
The rocket engine for Envol, central to the vehicle's design, features an adaptive nozzle, patented by AndroMach, designed to boost engine efficiency. The first ignition tests for the rocket engine are scheduled for summer 2025.
In summary, AndroMach's Envol and Étoile projects represent a promising future for European space exploration. The first test flight for Envol is planned for 2024 at the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana, while Étoile's first test flight is scheduled for 2025 at the same location. These projects are not just about pushing the boundaries of space travel but also about making it more accessible and affordable, opening up new possibilities for scientific research and technological advancements.
AndroMach's Envol, an innovative suborbital drone, utilizes technology for powered flight, marking the start of its quest to develop reusable flight technologies. The mini orbital shuttle, Étoile, is currently in development, following Envol, and will rely on science and logistics to facilitate microgravity research and technology validation in the aerospace sector. Both projects, from the realm of space-and-astronomy, are backed by Frenchspace agency CNES, exhibit technology advancements, and aim to establish strategic sovereignty in the European aerospace industry.
