ESA's IXV february 11th launch

[sgt_flyer]

broadcast is restarting in 3 minutes vehicle still at around 5900 m/s and 68km altitude

[Albert VDS]

I think you mean it started 8 minutes ago, the top segment is elapsed time and the bottom are countdowns.

Oh I see, thanks for pointing that out.

[Dodgey]

Vehicle decelerating at aprox 1g. Now at 5300 m/s.

Edit:

Wow, plenty of TWR off of the pad.

Edited February 11, 2015 by Dodgey

[PlonioFludrasco]

Splashdown confirmed!

[sgt_flyer]

splashdown confirmed the speedboats are moving in to secure IXV

[RainDreamer]

Welp, it was a successful splash down. Wonder what they will do next with the data they got.

[PlonioFludrasco]

They said "operational demonstrator". Basically a craft that spends some time in orbit and lands on ground.

[PDCWolf]

Can someone make a replica of this in KSP? Would be neat to see, as well as some rep from me

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/109676

Made it as soon as I got the news. Also, the splashdown was successful.

[sgt_flyer]

Welp, it was a successful splash down. Wonder what they will do next with the data they got.

Well, they said it was for gaining return capabilities from LEO (experiment returns / potentially their own manned spacecrafts - and could pave the way towards reusable first stages for a future rocket concept. (The concept showed a rocket with two twin engines winged methalox boosters around a single engine sustainer (possibly methalox too) with this kind of configuration, maybe for a medium LV (maybe to potentially replace soyuz if it's phased out by russians in favor of angara - once the russians get their new manned spacecraft)

- - - Updated - - -

Replay of the launch -

http://www.esa.int/spaceinvideos/Videos/2015/02/Replay_of_Vega_liftoff_VV04_with_IXV

Edited February 11, 2015 by sgt_flyer

[Albert VDS]

@sgt-flyer: LKO?

[sgt_flyer]

Grr really too much KSP

[Albert VDS]

Grr really too much KSP

Or too much time spend in LKO.

[Sampa]

Brilliant! I see someone still sees life for the idea of the space shuttle!

[Frida Space]

[brienne]

Sry if this doc is already linked above:

http://www.esa.int/spaceinvideos/content/view/embedjw/405747

PS: any KSP mod related with IXV ?

Edited February 12, 2015 by brienne

[Starhawk]

It's a spaceplane Jim, but not as we know it.

[sgt_flyer]

mmh, checked out some infos for the handling of the spacecraft after the recuperation :

(sorry, article in french)

http://www.futura-sciences.com/magazines/espace/infos/actu/d/ixv-ixv-mission-reussie-mais-pas-terminee-56917/

but roughly, they are speaking about how they passivate the remaining Hydrazine on board - current techniques use a lot of dilution to neutralize the hydrazine, which takes quite some time (they said it would have taken them 10 days to dilute the stuff to safe levels)

however, they decided to experiment on other ways to neutralize hydrazine, by injecting hydrogen peroxyde (they did not specify the concentration though) to make it react with hydrazine (they have to monitor the pressure / temperatures throughout the operation, done in a closed room)

seems this technique allows them to reach safe levels in 1 day (they give a figure of 1ppm of hydrazine remaining after only 1 day) - with 5 days to finish the whole passivation operation. (hydrazine / hydrogen peroxyde reaction giving off only water and nitrogen.)

as this technique is 'new' they want to check out if it can damage the propulsion system, which will be thoroughly checked after the operation. (as they want to confirm they'll be able to reuse some systems)

[Frida Space]

[Scotius]

Hmmm...nice scorch marks...Wait - are those modules at the back melted? That had to be really fiery reentry

[sgt_flyer]

Mmh wondering - on graphs we can see, ixv's backplate is drilled with holes for those RCS thrusters - now, have they been melted, or covered in somethink like putty prior to the launch, to limit risks of leaks after spalshdown (plus, a coating like that could partially ablate / melt during reentry, taking away some heat from the thrusters - as one of ESA's goals is to know if the capsule is in a partially reusable state (including the RCS system)

That, or what's covering the rcs thrusters is the same gooey white stuff the put inside the ring which served as a connection to avum - (stuff that would have been sprayed by divers to prevent hydrazine leaks after splashdown - and some of the scorched color was just washed away on the goo by seawater

Edited February 14, 2015 by sgt_flyer