Parachute failure during test flight

The parachute intended to slow down the small Space Rider vehicle did not function properly, leading to the destruction of a full-scale replica of this reusable spacecraft developed by Europe.

Test conducted in Sardinia

The parachute detached during a test conducted on October 6, 2026, at the Salto di Quirra military base in Sardinia. This facility is commonly used for aerospace and defense testing.

Space Rider deployed from 3 km altitude

The full-scale replica of the Space Rider was deployed by helicopter from an altitude of 3 kilometers. This was part of a series of tests to evaluate the spacecraft’s performance during re-entry and landing.

Impact and aftermath

The spacecraft crashed to the ground after the parachute failed, resulting in significant damage to the vehicle. Engineers are now investigating the cause of the malfunction to prevent similar incidents in future tests.