By 
February 10th, 2015
Credit: ESA–J. Huart, 2014
Look for a February 11 liftoff of the European Space Agency’s space plane – the Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle, or IXV.
It will be launched on a Vega launcher at 13:00 GMT (14:00 CET) for a suborbital flight to test technologies and critical systems for Europe’s future automated reentry systems.
From liftoff to splashdown in the Pacific Ocean will take 100 minutes.
Credit: ESA
Follow the mission live starting 12:30 GMT (13:30 CET) via Arianespace TV and ESA TV.
Go to:
http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Launchers/IXV/Watch_IXV_launch
Meanwhile, take a look at this informative time-lapse video that shows IXV’s preparation, fairing encapsulation, transfer to the Vega mobile gantry and upper composite integration on the Vega launcher, at Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.
Go to:
http://www.esa.int/spaceinvideos/Videos/2015/02/IXV_ready_for_liftoff
Posted in Space News
