The TEXUS project is a sounding rocket program with the primary aim to investigate the properties and behavior of materials, chemicals and biological substances in a microgravity environment. The TEXUS program gives around six minutes of microgravity. The TEXUS programme started in 1977 and is carried out at the Esrange Space Center jointly by DLR, EADS Astrium and the Swedish Space Corporation. The campaign is funded either by by ESA (European Space Agency) or by DLR.

The rocket vehicle Skylark 7 was used very successfully for the first 25 years until tho motor was no longer available. The Brazilian motor VSB-30 has been used for the TEXUS programme since 2005. Rocket type: VSB-30 Apogee: around 250 km Payload weight: around 400 kg Contact persons: Dr. O. Joop, Project manager, DLR Mr M. Viertotak, Project manager, SSC Esrange Mr P. Turner, Campaign manager, DLR Mr A. Schütte, Project manager, EADS Space Transportation Mr W. Herfs, Project manager, ESA EuroLaunch SSC and the German space organization DLR have concluded a Cooperative Agreement in the area of suborbital services for upper atmosphere and microgravity research. SSC and DLR have been working in the field of Sounding Rockets and Balloons since the 70s and have provided launch operation services to scientists and space organizations in Europe and worldwide. They coordinate their services and infrastructure in order to improve efficiency and offer maximum value to scientists and space organizations. SSC and DLR market their coordinated “end-to-end” services under the trademark EuroLaunch.