European Re-entry Experiment Progresses Toward October Launch

摘要

Europe's first atmospheric re-entry vehicle in 16 years is scheduled to complete integration here in May and then to be sent for vibration and acoustic testing before arriving at Europe's French Guiana spaceport for a planned October launch. The Intermediate Experimental Vehicle, IXV, is designed to separate from Europe's Vega small-satellite launcher at an altitude of 320 kilometers. The vehicle will reach an apogee of some 412 kilometers and follow a low-inclination trajectory, 5 degrees relative to the equator, on its way to a re-entry and parachute-softened splashdown in the South Pacific.