Successful splashdown for the Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle (IXV)

On the 19 June 2013 the IXV Descent and Landing System Test was successfully performed off the east coast of Sardinia, Italy, at the Poligono Interforze Salto di Quirra.

The IXV full-scale prototype was brought up to an altitude of 3000 meters by a helicopter of the Italian Defense, and dropped in free-fall to gain the speed required for the proper deployment of the parachute main stage, which then slows down the vehicle in its descent phase for a splash-down in the sea at a speed below 7 m/s in compliance with the vehicle main design loads.