European Space Agency's spaceplane completes autonomous reentry capability experiment

An experimental vehicle to develop an autonomous European reentry capability for future reusable space transportation has completed its mission, said Wednesday the European Space Agency (ESA) in a press release.

The IXV space plane lifted off at 13:40 GMT on Thursday 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 hyper-sonic to super-sonic 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, precised ESA.

IXV glided through the atmosphere before parachutes deployed to slow the descent further for a safe splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.

According to ESA, mastering reentry will open a new chapter for ESA. Such a capability is a cornerstone for reusable launcher stages, sample return from other planets and crew return from space, as well as for future Earth observation, microgravity research, satellite servicing and disposal missions.

"IXV has opened a new chapter for ESA in terms of reentry capabilities and re-usability," explained Jean-Jacques Dordain, ESA Director General.

"ESA and its Member States, together with European space industry, are now ready to take up new challenges in several fields of space transportation, in future launchers, robotic exploration or human spaceflight," he added.

The initial results from the flight are expected to be released in around six weeks. Endit