IXV completes flawless mission
Date: Tue, Mar 24, 2015 | 07:30 - 07:41 GMT | 08:30 - 08:41 CET
Replay: Tue, Mar 24, 2015 | 16:00 - 16:11 GMT | 17:00 - 17:11 CET
Type: ESA TV Exchange
Last 11 February the IXV spaceplane lifted off from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana atop a Vega rocket.
It separated from Vega at an altitude of 340 km and continued up to 412 km. Reentering from this suborbital path, it recorded a vast amount of data from more than 300 advanced and conventional sensors. As it descended, the five-metre-long, two-tonne craft manoeuvred to decelerate from hypersonic to supersonic speed.
The entry speed of 7.5 km/s at an altitude of 120 km created the same conditions as those for a vehicle returning from low Earth orbit. IXV glided through the atmosphere before parachutes deployed to slow the descent further for a safe splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.
Having completed this return from space, IXV, Europe's atmospheric re-entry demonstrator, is now on its way to Europe for detailed analysis of its flight experience. The successful mission opens a new door for Europe in future space transportation.
This video recalls IXV flawless mission.
More information at: http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Launchers/IXV
Preview and download:
https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos/2015/03/IXV_completes_flawless_mission
Script:
EbS97672.doc
Satellite Parameters: Eutelsat 9A at 9 degrees E, transponder 59, downlink frequency 11900.1 horizontally polarised, symbol rate 27,500 FEC 2/3.