{"id":7735,"date":"2026-08-11T12:35:01","date_gmt":"2026-08-11T11:35:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.connova.com\/news\/update-july-2026-wet-dress-rehearsal-successful-landing-legs-tested-under-full-load-for-the-first-time\/"},"modified":"2026-08-11T12:42:22","modified_gmt":"2026-08-11T11:42:22","slug":"update-july-2026-wet-dress-rehearsal-successful-landing-legs-tested-under-full-load-for-the-first-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.connova.com\/en\/news\/update-july-2026-wet-dress-rehearsal-successful-landing-legs-tested-under-full-load-for-the-first-time\/","title":{"rendered":"Update July 2026: Wet Dress Rehearsal Successful \u2013 Landing Legs Tested Under Full Load for the First Time"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Update July 2026: Wet Dress Rehearsal Successful \u2013 Landing Legs Tested Under Full Load for the First Time<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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On July 23, 2026, the Themis T1H demonstrator successfully completed its first wet dress rehearsal at the Esrange Space Center (Sweden). During the test, the rocket was fueled with several metric tons of liquid nitrogen cooled to \u2013200 \u00b0C, which safely simulates the cryogenic propellants; ArianeGroup and the Swedish Space Corporation ran through the complete countdown and post-flight procedures. This marked the first time the full weight of the fueled stage was borne by the CFRP landing leg system manufactured by Connova under real-world conditions. <\/p>

The hardware tested remains identical to the system shipped between January and May 2023, consisting of filament-wound CFRP struts and milled aluminum\/steel fittings; no modifications were necessary. The reported weight savings of approximately 25 to 30 percent compared to an all-metal solution remain valid as a guideline. <\/p>

The next milestone is the hop test\u2014the first flight with a vertical landing. It will provide the final validation of the maximum design loads, particularly for the landing maneuver with the planned touchdown deceleration. The planned series production (2027\/28) depends on the results of this flight campaign; the political environment\u2014Europe\u2019s pursuit of independent, cost-effective access to space\u2014is currently accelerating the project\u2019s progress. <\/p>

For more details and official images of this milestone , see the ESA report here.<\/a><\/p>

At a Glance<\/strong><\/p>