Italian rocket builder Sidereus Space Dynamics has announced that it is nearing completion of its Solaris Test Bench, which will be used for key testing of its EOS launch system before its inaugural flight.
Sidereus Space Dynamics describes its EOS launch system as a small single-stage-to-orbit rocket designed to be transported, along with all its launch infrastructure, in a 40-foot (12.1-metre) container. The company initially listed a maximum payload capacity of 13 kilograms, but this figure has since been removed from its website. Moreover, recent renders of the vehicle suggest a significantly larger design than originally conceived.
On 1 July, Sidereus Space Dynamics CEO Luca Principi revealed the company’s progress on the construction of its new testing facility. According to Principi, the company broke ground on the Solaris Test Bench just six weeks ago and is already nearing completion.
Once complete, the test bench will be used for a number of key tests, including a full-scale ‘green run’ test. This stage of testing involves a full-duration static fire of the integrated propulsion system to validate its performance before flight. According to Principi, the company plans to conduct an initial low-altitude test flight in the second quarter of 2026. However, he did not provide any details on where this flight would take place.
While the company has yet to complete its new test bench, Sidereus Space Dynamics has already conducted a number of key tests. In late June 2024, it completed the first fully integrated system test of its demonstrator, with the MR-5 main engine firing for approximately 11 seconds. Testing has continued into 2025, with Principi announcing last week that the same subscale, regeneratively cooled thrust chamber was successfully test-fired four times in succession, validating the robustness of the company’s propulsion technology.
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