projet de l'avion spatial ESA

ixv → IntErmEdIatE EXpErImEntal vEhIclE ixv EUROPe’S àMbiTiON FOR à SPàCeCRàFT TO ReTURN àUTONOMOUSLy FROM LOw ORbiT iS à CORNeRSTONe FOR à wiDe RàNGe OF SPàCe àPPLiCàTiONS, iNCLUDiNG SPàCe TRàNSPORTàTiON, RObOTiC SeRViCiNG OF SPàCe iNFRàSTRUCTURe àND exPLORàTiON. tHe iDeà TO àCHieVe THiS GOàL THROUGH THe INTeRMeDiàTe eXPeRiMeNTàL veHiCLe (IXv) DàTeS bàCk TO 2002, wHeN àN Esa STUDy HàRMONiSeD SeVeRàL aGeNCy àND NàTiONàL PROPOSàLS ON exPeRiMeNTàL VeHiCLeS. IXv, STRONGLy SUPPORTeD by THe ITàLiàN SPàCe àGeNCy, asI, iS àN Esa PROGRàMMe wiTH THe PàRTiCiPàTiON OF SeVeN meMbeR sTàTeS. IXV is the next step forward from the successful Atmospheric Reentry Demonstrator flight of 1998, in terms of manoeuvrability, operability and precision landing. IXV is the ‘intermediate’ element of Europe’s path to future developments with limited risks. For some years, the development of critical reentry technologies through basic research and preparatory programmes has been pursued, paving the way for the flight of an experimental craft. The IXV objectives are the design, development, manufacture and flight verification of an autonomous European lifting and aerodynamically controlled reentry vehicle that is highly flexible and manoeuvrable.