The Maia rocket is a future European orbital reusable launch vehicle under development by the French company MaiaSpace,a subsidiary of ArianeGroup.[1][2] The rocket will consist of a first stage with three Prometheus engines,a re-ignitable second stage with a single Prometheus engine,and an optional Colibri kick stage with multiple engines developed by the Polish institute Łukasiewicz–ILOT.[3]
Maia will deliver up to 500kg to low Earth orbit (LEO) when the first stage is recovered and 1,500kg when fully expendable.[4] The addition of Colibri will give the rocket a performance boost of at least 1,000kg to LEO for each version.[2] The reusable first stage will be equipped with landing legs,grid fins,and an attitude control system for controlled landing on a barge at sea.[5] The inaugural expendable flight of Maia is expected in 2026[4] and testing of the first stage recovery is expected to begin in 2027.[6]
Background
The reusable Prometheus engine,which will power Maia's first and second stages,was developed thanks to funding through ESA's Future Launchers Preparatory Programme (FLPP).[2] The Colibri's engines will be based on technology developed by Łukasiewicz–ILOT as part of its GRACE 1 &2 projects,[7][8] also funded through FLPP.[3] The first stage of Maia will utilize a number of technologies developed for ESA's Themis reusable rocket demonstrator,again funded through FLPP.[9] Reusability of the first stage will be further developed within the project SkyHopper,which receives funding from CNES.[6] Maia will be launching from the ELS launchpad at the Guiana Space Centre formerly used by Soyuz at CSG and abandoned after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.[10][11]
The first cryogenic test of a full-scale prototype of the Maia's second stage has been completed in September 2023.[12] In August 2025, MaiaSpace has completed a 6-month test campaign of high-pressure burst tests on subscale prototypes of Maia's propellant tanks.[13]
Launches
MaiaSpace has secured its first commercial customer in March 2025, when they signed a multi-launch agreement with the French company Exotrail[14] to carry its Spacevan orbital transfer vehicle to LEO starting not earlier than 2027.[15]
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