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The Space Rider program is the continuation of the IXV experience and it applies all the design, development and flight experiences to an operative vehicle in order to support the innovation of re-entry technologies for reusable systems, and to provide European routine access and return from orbit, with the purpose to perform in-orbit operation, experimentation and demonstration. Such an ambitious goal calls for a robust flying platform with autonomous capabilities during the descent and landing phases. During the phase A of the project, different classes of aeroshape have been proposed and investigated for the trade-off: lifting body, winged body and capsule. Trade-off has relied only on a qualitative evaluation of different aspects (performance, volume, flexibility, development effort), and the IXV-like lifting body concept has been finally selected. The trade-off allowed to down-select two candidate aeroshape configurations, the first being exactly the \"IXV 1:1\" and the second being a variant of IXV with addition of vertical fins, for which an extensive aerodynamic investigation has been defined and put in place, both at numerical (Phases A and B1) and experimental (Phase B1) levels. The paper reports in detail all the aerodynamic results on the two configurations.

In the frame of the development of ESA\'s Space Rider, the new European space transportation system, the conceptual design of the Descent Subsystem has been performed, laying the basis for the following development work of next design phases. The Descent System will be triggered at subsonic speed: a first phase of deceleration guaranteed by drogue parachute(s), a gliding parachute will be deployed and the controlled descent phase will begin. This solution will allow for a safe landing, reducing operating costs as well as recovery and refurbishment time of the vehicle. It is the first time that this kind of architecture for a descent subsystem is being developed in a major European space program and it is the most important space project with a gliding parachute since NASA\'s X-38, which was developed until 2001. The design of the Descent Subsystem poses a number of challenges, given the demanding requirements defined for this project: pinpoint landing, featured by low peak g-forces and thus low vertical landing speed. Additionally, strict requirements in terms of available space and power, maximum attainable weight and maximization of reliability and reusability complete the framework. In the phase A of the project a trade-off between different technical solutions has been carried-out by taking in account parameters such as development and recurring costs, readiness level of already available technologies, lead-time and heritage: two main possible architectures for the Descent Subsystem have been identified. The main difference between the two main solutions is the presence of a single reefed drogue parachute or the presence of two different drogues. In this study all the main equipment have been defined, and advantages and shortcomings coming from each solution critically analyzed. Critical areas to be further investigated have been identified to focus on in the next phases of design.