Texus-58 sounding rocket launch

The Texus-58 sounding rocket launched on 24 April at 07:20 CEST with three ESA-led experiments, all linked with previous research.

A Texus sounding rocket can propel up to 270 km altitude to return to Earth in an elongated arc. As it falls freely, the experiments inside experience weightlessness – six minutes of valuable research time.

Once the rocket motors shut off, the experiments enter freefall, even though at this point they are still heading upwards. On the downward arc parachutes deploy and gravity takes over once again, lowering the experiments to the ground with impact speeds of around 8 m/s.

ESA has used sounding rockets for over 30 years to investigate phenomena under microgravity from Esrange in northern Sweden.

Experiments are held in circular containers with diameters of up to 60 cm. The containers are held by elastic dampers to reduce launch vibrations.