This is ESA ’s video unveiling of its Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle , a trial - bed for a next - generation reentry pod . The IXV is due to skyrocket aloft on Europe ’s new small Vega launcher in 2012 and test out a range of systems for a “ proper ” succeeding vehicle . chuck the simplicity and limitation of the now honest-to-goodness - fashioned conical - pod - with - high temperature - shield figure , it ’s a lifting - consistency flesh with a thermal protection system somewhat like the Shuttle ’s . The wingless pod is point by aerodynamic consistency flaps with response jets as backup and for orbital evasive action , and when it ’s low and dull enough it ’ll pop a ‘ chute and plop into the Pacific . And it ’ll do it all autonomously . Clever stuff . [ ESAviaSlashdot ]
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