---
title: "Europe’s Hermes Spaceplane – A Quick Overview"
id: 24143
type: "post"
slug: "europes-hermes-spaceplane-a-quick-overview"
author: "NSE"
published: "2022-11-17T12:30:00+00:00"
modified: "2025-06-22T16:16:26+00:00"
canonical: "https://newspaceeconomy.ca/2022/11/17/europes-hermes-spaceplane-a-quick-overview/"
markdown_url: "https://newspaceeconomy.ca/2022/11/17/europes-hermes-spaceplane-a-quick-overview.md"
description: "Hermes was a proposed spaceplane designed by the French Centre National 'Études Spatiales (CNES) in 1975, and later by the European Space Agency (ESA)."
language: "en-US"
category:
  - "Launch Market"
  - "Market Data And Analysis"
  - "Space Economy"
  - "Space Logistics"
  - "Space Technology"
post_tag:
  - "Boeing"
  - "Europe"
  - "European Space Agency"
  - "Human Spaceflight"
  - "Space Shuttle"
  - "Spacecraft"
  - "Spaceflight"
---

# Europe’s Hermes Spaceplane – A Quick Overview

Hermes was a proposed spaceplane designed by the French Centre National Études Spatiales (CNES) in 1975, and later by the [European Space Agency](https://www.esa.int/) ([ESA](https://www.esa.int/)). It was superficially similar to the American Boeing X-20 Dyna-Soar and the larger Space Shuttle.

[![](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/img_0258.jpg?resize=696%2C562&ssl=1)](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/img_0258.jpg?ssl=1)

In January 1985, CNES proposed to proceed with Hermes development under the auspices of the [ESA](https://www.esa.int/). Hermes was to have been part of a crewed spaceflight program. It would have been launched using an Ariane 5 launch vehicle. In November 1987, the project was approved; it was to commence an initial pre-development phase from 1988 to 1990, after which the authorisation to proceed to full-rate development was to depend on the outcome of this phase. However, the project was subject to numerous delays and funding issues around this period.

[![](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/img_0264.jpg?resize=696%2C696&ssl=1)](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/img_0264.jpg?ssl=1)

In 1992, Hermes was cancelled. This was in part due to unachievable cost and performance goals, as well as the formation of a partnership with the Russian Aviation and Space Agency (RKA), which reduced the demand for an independent crewed spaceplane. As a result. no Hermes shuttles were ever built.

**Additional information for the curious**

[![](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/img_0261.jpg?resize=432%2C230&ssl=1)](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/img_0261.jpg?ssl=1)

[![](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/img_0260.png?resize=450%2C594&ssl=1)](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/img_0260.png?ssl=1)

[![](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/img_0257.jpg?resize=696%2C470&ssl=1)](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/img_0257.jpg?ssl=1)

[![](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/img_0255.jpg?resize=512%2C352&ssl=1)](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/img_0255.jpg?ssl=1)

[![](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/img_0270.jpg?resize=696%2C701&ssl=1)](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/img_0270.jpg?ssl=1)

[![](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/img_0269.jpg?resize=696%2C608&ssl=1)](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/img_0269.jpg?ssl=1)

[![](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/img_0268.jpg?resize=696%2C776&ssl=1)](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/img_0268.jpg?ssl=1)

[![](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/img_0267.jpg?resize=696%2C970&ssl=1)](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/img_0267.jpg?ssl=1)

[![](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/img_0266.jpg?resize=696%2C418&ssl=1)](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/img_0266.jpg?ssl=1)

[![](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/img_0265.jpg?resize=696%2C418&ssl=1)](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/img_0265.jpg?ssl=1)

![](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/08601.jpg?resize=696%2C579&ssl=1)

![](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/773BB1E3-5041-4CC0-8821-A19133C92B63.png?fit=1536%2C1024&quality=80&ssl=1)

Source: Wikipedia