Vega VV04 upper composite integration

Integration of the fully integrated fairing of Vega VV04, carrying IXV, in the launcher assembly area at Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, on 30 January 2015.

IXV will be launched 320 km into space on top of a Vega rocket, VV04, climbing up to 420 km before beginning a long glide back through the atmosphere. In the process, IXV will gather data on reentry conditions to help guide the design of future spaceplanes.

More about IXV: http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Launchers/IXV

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