Picture from first free flight in Vidsel, May 8 2004

Phoenix is the prototype of Hopper, a proposed unmanned European reusable launch vehicle. (Phoenix was, besides Penelope and Ariane, originally suggested for the name of Ariane rocket family).

Hopper, for which Phoenix is a prototype, is designed to be more economical than today's space vehicles and even reliable for manned space operations. In the first few decades of the 21st century, it will be the first independent manned European non-military attempt at space operations and will be an important part of the ISS project. (Compare Vostok 1.) It is anticipated that the production craft will enter use between 2015 and 2020. Hopper is to be launched on a 4 km magnetic track which will accelerate it to launch speed, providing far cheaper access to space than the current Ariane 5 launcher. (Ariane 5 was built to be the booster for the European shuttle Hermes.)

Phoenix is part of the German national program ASTRA , a €40 million project founded by the German Federal Government, EADS SPACE Transportation and the State of Bremen with one third each. Both EADS and the State of Bremen have already invested another €8.2 million respective €4.3 million out of own funds. Another contribution of 16 million euros comes from partner companies such as the Bremen-based OHB-System , DLR and the Federal Ministry for Education and Research.

EADS is responsible for the project management and for the entire software equipment of the system. Other partner companies are also involved in the development.

The Phoenix RLV prototype is 6.9 meters long (23 ft), has a weight of 1,200 kilograms (2,640 lb), and a wingspan of 3.9 meters (13 ft). The prototype, at one sixth the size of the planned vehicle, is still in the alpha stage of development at Bremen labs of EADS.

On Saturday 8 May 2004 the prototype was dropped from 2.4 kilometers (8,000 ft) by a helicopter and landed precisely and without incident after a GPS-guided 90 second glide. The test was conducted at the North European Aerospace Test range in Kiruna, 1,240 km (770 miles) north of Stockholm, Sweden. Future tests will involve drops from higher altitude, possibly from a balloon.

The primary aim of the test was to assess the glider potential of the craft. The final version of the vehicle must be able to glide from an altitude of 129 kilometers (80 miles).