This is a first in the history of French spaceflight. The Baguette-One1 launcher, developed by startup HyPrSpace, will soon carry out an unprecedented private civil space launch from mainland France, on a site operated by the French Directorate General of Armaments2 (DGA). This flight will mark a turning point for the national space sector: never before has a private civil launch taken place from metropolitan French territory. It’s a moment of great pride for HyPrSpace — a symbol of an ambitious, innovative, and sovereign French NewSpace movement.
Baguette-One is a 10-meter-long, single-stage suborbital launcher developed by HyPrSpace. It will be capable of carrying up to 300 kg of payload, with its inaugural flight scheduled for 2026. Located across three sites in southern France, DGA Essais de missiles conducts weapons systems testing in the air, land, sea, and underwater domains. It offers companies in the space sector the opportunity to carry out full-scale ground tests of their launchers using test infrastructures that have been expertly designed and operated for over 50 years.
A Journey Built on Trust
From early micro-launcher experiments to our full-scale hybrid engine, Terminator, all of HyPrSpace’s test campaigns (excluding internal trials) have been conducted in partnership with the DGA, on their missile testing sites. This long-standing collaboration has built a solid relationship of trust, now enabling this historic launch, a milestone at the crossroads of civil and defense applications.About HyPrSpace
Founded in 2019 by a team of engineers passionate about space, HyPrSpace is developing a patented revolutionary hybrid propulsion technology that combines the advantages of both solid and liquid propellants. This breakthrough innovation overcomes a 50-year-old technological bottleneck, offering a propulsion solution that is simple, reliable, and efficient, while reducing both the environmental footprint and the cost of space launches. Its credibility and performance have been validated by institutions such as the DGA and ONERA. With support from CNES, ESA, the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region, and the France 2030 program, HyPrSpace is establishing itself as a major player in the space innovation landscape, both in France and across Europe.About the DGA
Created by General de Gaulle in 1961, the Direction générale de l’Armement (DGA) is at the heart of France’s defense capability planning and deployment. It provides the French armed forces with weapons systems tailored to their operational needs and constantly evolves to meet the geopolitical, technological, and human challenges of our time. With 18 sites across France, the DGA conducts over 100 armament operations each year, covering the full spectrum of high-tech military equipment.
With testing centers located in Gironde, the Landes, and the Mediterranean, DGA Essais de missiles performs evaluations of weapon systems in the air, land, sea, and underwater domains. Nearly 1,000 specialists carry out test campaigns on engines, missiles, and munitions — always with strict attention to the safety of people, property, and the environment. With unique infrastructure in Europe, the center also provides operational training for the armed forces, including immersive augmented reality scenarios.
Source: HyPrSpace
