Intermediate Experimental Vehicle

The Intermediate Experimental Vehicle ( own spelling Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle, also briefly IXV ) is an unmanned and automatic spacecraft of ESA to explore the re-entry phase in the Earth's atmosphere as well as a test platform for this required techniques which may be used in future reusable space shuttles.

Mission and Structure

The IXV is part of ESA's Future Launchers Preparatory Programme Programmes (short FLPP ) and is used to develop new launch systems (English Next Generation Launcher, short NGL).

The slight European launcher Vega is supposed to bring about 2 ton, conceived as carrier hull IXV in 2014 in a suborbital Earth orbit with a maximum altitude of 450 km, so that the re-entry from low orbit (LEO ) at 26,850 km / h to be simulated. The missile is on parachutes and land safely be recovered for further analysis after the re-entry over the Pacific.

Prime contractor is the French-Italian aerospace company Thales Alenia Space.

The objectives of the project are the design, development, manufacture and verification of an independent European, aerodynamically controlled re-entry system - both on the ground and in flight - using the techniques to be explored for a heat shield in the first place. Furthermore, it should be an inexpensive alternative to the previous shuttles NASA this system. Since the experiments take place unmanned, the risks of a possible hazardous incident are minimized so that no lives are at risk.

A previous project was the space capsule ARD, which was successfully launched on 21 October 1998.

On June 19, 2013 were carried out in the Mediterranean with a test vehicle in original size a successful airdrop test with subsequent splashdown.

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