Reditus readies first launch of its re-entry vehicle/hypersonic target

Atlanta-based startup Reditus Space has announced the completion of its reusable re-entry vehicle, ENOS, which is designed for microgravity research and also serves as a hypersonics test bed and potential target vehicle for the Department of Defense. Co-founder and CEO Stef Crum told Breaking Defense that ENOS can carry payloads for military testers evaluating systems in hypersonic environments or act as a Mach 25+ target for interceptors. The spacecraft is designed to operate on-orbit like a satellite for extended periods before initiating its own reentry and being recovered under parachute. Crum noted that Reditus is engaged with multiple DoD entities, including discussions with the Missile Defense Agency focused on targets and detection, and with the Air Force Research Laboratory for using ENOS as a "test bench." The company has raised $7.85 million in seed money and was added to MDA's SHIELD contracting pool for the Golden Dome initiative. For its inaugural flight, ENOS will launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9, carrying commercial microgravity payloads, operating on orbit for about two months before reentering the atmosphere at approximately Mach 29 and landing off the coast of Florida.