Starchaser Industries was awarded a study contract from the European Space Agency (ESA) for the detailed assessment of the company’s Thunderstar/Starchaser 5A space tourism reusable launch vehicle, Starchaser announced Jan. 12.

The study will verify the vehicle’s technical feasibility and ability to meet future space tourism expectations and also refine Starchaser’s business plan.

The contract, worth 150,000 euros ($193,770), is part of ESA’s Survey of European Privately Funded Vehicles for Commercial Human Space Flight, a program designed to identify European space tourism ventures, evaluate their feasibility and assess associated technologies.

The Thunderstar/Starchaser 5A reportedly could begin regular flights from New Mexico’s Spaceport America as early as 2009.