ALTAIR Project Holds Key H2020 Review Meeting in Barcelona
The ALTAIR project, an ambitious European initiative under the Horizon 2020 (H2020) framework, reached a major milestone with its General Assembly and project review meeting held in Barcelona in March 2016.
The meeting marked the first formal review in front of European Commission representatives, evaluating technical progress and the roadmap toward a new low-cost launch service for nano- and micro-satellites.
Addressing the Growing Nano- and Micro-Satellite Market
The rapidly expanding market for miniaturized payloads is driving demand for flexible and affordable launch services.
ALTAIR aims to develop:
- A low-cost launch service
- A high launch rate solution
- Dedicated access to space for nano- and micro-satellites (150–250 kg)
The project builds on experience gained from the earlier ALDEBARAN initiative, which explored initial concepts for small payload launch services.
A Multidisciplinary European Consortium
Over a three-year period, leading European space agencies, research institutions and industrial partners are collaborating within ALTAIR to conduct a comprehensive technical and business feasibility study.
The objective is to:
- Demonstrate the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) maturity of critical technologies
- Validate the economic viability of the business model
- Develop an integrated launch service concept
The consortium includes representatives from:
- ONERA
- European Commission
- OHB
- Thales Alenia Space (TAS)
- ETH Zurich
- BERTIN Technologies
- Arianespace
- LuxSpace
- CNES
- NAMMO
- STP
- PAS
GTD’s Participation in ALTAIR
GTD plays an active role in the ALTAIR consortium, contributing technical expertise to the development of the airborne small satellite launch system.
GTD representatives attending the Barcelona review included:
- Eduard Diez
- Sara Rodriguez
- Tigran Sargsyan
- Marta Escudero
Through its participation, GTD supports both the technical validation and operational architecture of the proposed launch system.
Advancing European Access to Space
ALTAIR represents a strategic effort to strengthen Europe’s position in the competitive small satellite launch market.
By combining technical innovation, industrial collaboration and business validation under the H2020 framework, the project aims to deliver a sustainable and competitive solution for the next generation of small satellite missions.
