IXV parachute drop test 2013

On 19 June 2013, the Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle successfully completed the descent and landing system test at the Poligono Interforze Salto di Quirra off the east coast of Sardinia in Italy.

The full-scale Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle (IXV) prototype was released from an altitude of 3000 m by a helicopter, falling to gain speed to mimic a space mission before parachute deployment. The parachutes slowed IXV for a safe splashdown in the sea at a speed below 7 m/s.