IXV
Encyclopedia
The Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle (IXV) is a European Space Agency
(ESA) experimental re-entry
vehicle intended to validate European reusable launchers which could be evaluated in the frame of the FLPP program. The IXV development would be carried out under the leadership of the NGL Prime SpA
company. It would inherit of the principles of previous studies such as CNES' Pre-X and ESA's AREV.
arrangement with no wings of any sort, using two movable flaps for re-entry flight control. Re-entry is accomplished in a nose-high attitude like the Space Shuttle
, with maneuvering accomplished by rolling out-of-plane and then lifting in that direction, like an aircraft. Landing is accomplished by parachutes ejected through the top of the vehicle. The airframe is based on a traditional hot-structure/cold-structure arrangement, and is supported on-orbit by a separate maneuvering and support module similar to the Resource Module intended for the Hermes
.
On December 18, 2009, ESA announced a contract with Thales Alenia Space
valued at 39.4 million euros to cover 18 months of preliminary IXV work. The IXV is scheduled to make its first orbiting flight in 2013, launched by a Vega rocket, the ESA’s new small launcher. The total estimated cost for the project is 150 million euros.
European Space Agency
The European Space Agency , established in 1975, is an intergovernmental organisation dedicated to the exploration of space, currently with 18 member states...
(ESA) experimental re-entry
Re-Entry
"Re-Entry" was the second album released by UK R&B / Hip Hop collective Big Brovaz. After the album was delayed in May 2006, the band finally release the follow-up to "Nu Flow" on 9 April 2007...
vehicle intended to validate European reusable launchers which could be evaluated in the frame of the FLPP program. The IXV development would be carried out under the leadership of the NGL Prime SpA
NGL Prime SpA
NGL Prime SpA is a technology company created for the purpose of all activities related to future European launchers which are not related to Ariane 5 or Vega or their evolutions. It is a joint venture of EADS Astrium and Finmeccanica . The corresponding shareholder agreement was signed on 31...
company. It would inherit of the principles of previous studies such as CNES' Pre-X and ESA's AREV.
Design
IXV uses a lifting bodyLifting body
A lifting body is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration in which the body itself produces lift. In contrast to a flying wing, which is a wing with minimal or no conventional fuselage, a lifting body can be thought of as a fuselage with little or no conventional wing...
arrangement with no wings of any sort, using two movable flaps for re-entry flight control. Re-entry is accomplished in a nose-high attitude like the Space Shuttle
Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttle was a manned orbital rocket and spacecraft system operated by NASA on 135 missions from 1981 to 2011. The system combined rocket launch, orbital spacecraft, and re-entry spaceplane with modular add-ons...
, with maneuvering accomplished by rolling out-of-plane and then lifting in that direction, like an aircraft. Landing is accomplished by parachutes ejected through the top of the vehicle. The airframe is based on a traditional hot-structure/cold-structure arrangement, and is supported on-orbit by a separate maneuvering and support module similar to the Resource Module intended for the Hermes
Hermes (shuttle)
Hermes was a proposed spaceplane designed by the French Centre National d'Études Spatiales in 1975, and later by the European Space Agency. It was superficially similar to the US X-20. France proposed in January 1985 to go through with Hermes development under the auspices of the ESA. Hermes was...
.
On December 18, 2009, ESA announced a contract with Thales Alenia Space
Thales Alenia Space
Thales Alenia Space is an aerospace company born after the Thales Group bought the participation of Alcatel in the two joint-ventures between Alcatel and Finmeccanica, Alcatel Alenia Space and Telespazio.-History:...
valued at 39.4 million euros to cover 18 months of preliminary IXV work. The IXV is scheduled to make its first orbiting flight in 2013, launched by a Vega rocket, the ESA’s new small launcher. The total estimated cost for the project is 150 million euros.
Specifications
See also
- HermesHermes (shuttle)Hermes was a proposed spaceplane designed by the French Centre National d'Études Spatiales in 1975, and later by the European Space Agency. It was superficially similar to the US X-20. France proposed in January 1985 to go through with Hermes development under the auspices of the ESA. Hermes was...
- HopperHopper (spacecraft)Hopper was a proposed European Space Agency orbital and reusable launch vehicle. The shuttle prototype spaceplane was one of several proposals for a European reusable launch vehicle planned to cheaply ferry satellites into orbit by 2015...
- Atmospheric Reentry DemonstratorAtmospheric Reentry DemonstratorThe Advanced Reentry Demonstrator was a suborbital reentry test flown on the third Ariane 5 flight. The ARD was launched on October 21, 1998, and was released shortly after separation of the launcher's cryogenic main stage 12 minutes after lift-off from the Guiana Space Centre, Europe's spaceport...
- Boeing X-37Boeing X-37The Boeing X-37 is an American unmanned vertical-takeoff, horizontal-landing spaceplane. The X-37 is operated by the United States Air Force for orbital spaceflight missions intended to demonstrate reusable space technologies...
- Italian Aerospace Research CentreItalian Aerospace Research CentreThe Italian Aerospace Research Centre is a consortium established in July 1984 to promote the growth and success of the aerospace industry in Italy...
External links
- ESA IXV page
- ESA re-entry technologies page
- IXV: learning to come back from Space, ESA TelevisionESA TelevisionESA Television is the television network of the European Space Agency. It is a satellite-only broadcast network which periodically transmits programming via SES Sirius's Sirius 4 satellite to Europe and via SES New Skies's NSS-806 satellite to the Americas as part of the Europe by Satellite public...
(2008-10-23), IXV Video News Release VNR - ESA’s Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle, ESA Multimedia Gallery (2008 animation)
- CNES reusable atmospheric re-entry vehicle: PRE-X