Spaceplane HERMES Europe's Dream of Independent Manned Spaceflight
This is the first comprehensive book on the European Hermes program. It tells the fascinating story of how Europe aimed for an independent manned spaceflight capability which was to complement US and Soviet/Russian space activities.In 1975, France decided
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Europe’s Dream of Independent Manned Spaceflight Luc van den Abeelen
Spaceplane HERMES Europe’s Dream of Independent Manned Spaceflight
More information about this series at http://www.springer.com/series/4097
Luc van den Abeelen
Spaceplane HERMES Europe’s Dream of Independent Manned Spaceflight
© CNES/ESA
Luc van den Abeelen Hilversum, The Netherlands
SPRINGER-PRAXIS BOOKS IN SPACE EXPLORATION
Springer Praxis Books ISBN 978-3-319-44470-3 ISBN 978-3-319-44472-7 DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-44472-7
(eBook)
Library of Congress Control Number: 2016951211 © Springer International Publishing AG 2017 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. Cover design: Jim Wilkie Cover illustration: artist impression of the Hermes 8R1 configuration heating while re-entering the atmosphere (CNES-ESA/Illustration David Ducros) Printed on acid-free paper This Springer imprint is published by Springer Nature The registered company is Springer International Publishing AG The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland
To Jaap Terweij friend and mentor of all things spaceflight and so much more and Christian Lardier friend and unsung hero of this book
Foreword by Jean-Jaques Dordain, ESA Director General 2003–2015
Hermes, a name having crossed a lot of centuries, a trademark of luxury, and a project which will stay unique in ESA, in Europe, and even more for all individuals and teams which were involved in it. Unique in its ambitions, to the point that it is still difficult to make of Hermes a vehicle of the past or a vehicle of the future. Unique in its fate, since Hermes is, to date, the only large ESA programme which was stopped before completion, for a mixture of good and bad reasons. It was time therefore and a good thing that the legacy of this unique space programme could be preserved, for the benefit of future engineers and future transport projects. Thanks to the legacy, Hermes will have been a very useful programme, full of results and full of l
