The German Aerospace Center (DLR) has finished final acceptance testing on the carbon-fibre nose cone for the Callisto reusable rocket demonstrator, marking a milestone as the hardware prepares for transfer to France. However, the vehicle’s initial hop test has slipped to 2027, according to DLR, delaying a timeline first hinted at in a French space agency procurement notice published in September 2025.
Nose Cone Testing and European Integration
DLR announced on September 11 that the Callisto nose cone successfully completed its acceptance testing phase. The carbon-fibre structure will now be delivered to the French space agency CNES and APCO Technologies. These organizations will handle integration into Callisto’s top block before shipping the assembly to the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana.
Additional flight hardware is taking shape across Europe alongside the nose cone milestone. DLR confirmed that Callisto’s aerodynamic fins are complete and its landing legs are currently in production. Those landing legs are scheduled for shipment to the launch site in 2027.
Propulsion Systems and International Contributions
International collaboration forms the backbone of the Callisto project, involving contributions from Germany, France, and Japan. On August 21, Kristian Lium, vice president of space at Norwegian aerospace and defence company Nammo, announced that a hydrogen-peroxide propulsion system built by the firm was being delivered to CNES. The system powers Callisto’s reaction control system, utilizing eight thrusters to manage vehicle attitude during flight.
Meanwhile, procurement records from JAXA detail ongoing work on the lower propulsion section. Throughout 2026, JAXA procured the manufacturing of large stainless-steel piping for the RSR-2 engine, cryogenic and gas quick-disconnect systems, and flight-control hardware modifications. JAXA has also prepared for standalone turbopump testing in Japan, after which the propulsion block will undergo a hot-fire campaign at the Noshiro Test Center prior to its dispatch to French Guiana.
Launch Complex Preparation and Test Schedule
Preparations at the Guiana Space Centre are advancing on the grounds of the former Diamant launch complex. This site is undergoing a broader transformation into a multi-user launch facility to host commercial operators including PLD Space, Isar Aerospace, Rocket Factory Augsburg, Latitude, and Sirius Space.
CNES procurement activity for the Callisto site has ramped up to support upcoming operations. In December 2025, CNES issued a call for a 40-foot liquid-hydrogen container for propellant storage, required for up to 24 months. In June, the agency released a call for civil works covering the liquid-oxygen and hydrogen-peroxide storage areas alongside the access road leading to the pad.
The 2027 flight campaign will span approximately eight months. It is slated to comprise eight increasingly demanding test flights followed by two final demonstration operations. Early flights will concentrate on low-altitude hops, while later missions will test complex downrange trajectories, aerodynamic maneuvers, and propulsive returns.
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