Vega flight VV04

Vega flight VV04 is the space launch of the IXV experimental re-entry vehicle by the 4th Vega rocket.

Vega flight VV04
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Vega launch
Launch11 February 2015 (2015-02-11), 13:40:00 UTC
OperatorArianespace
PadKourou ELV
PayloadIntermediate eXperimental Vehicle
OutcomeSuccess
Vega launches

Payload

The flight was a single-payload mission that put the IXV prototype spaceplane into sub-orbital spaceflight. The total payload mass was approximately 1,932 kilograms (4,259 lb), including the spacecraft and its adapter.

IXV
Main article: Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle

The Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle (abbreviated IXV) was 5.058 metres (16.59 ft) long, 1.540 metres (5 ft 0.6 in) high, and 2.2369 metres (7 ft 4.07 in) wide.[1] It had a lift-off mass of approximately 1,845 kilograms (4,068 lb), and was the only payload of the flight.

IXV was designed and manufactured by a consortium led by Thales Alenia Space.

Mission description

Launch time and location

The launch was initially foreseen for 1 November 2014 but was postponed to allow further analyses of the flight path. The 4th successful Vega flight finally took place on 11 February 2015 at 13:40:00 UTC (10:00:00 local time) from the ELV launch pad at the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana.

Orbit

The sub-orbital flight was planned to last about 100 minutes from lift-off until splashdown in the Pacific Ocean, near coordinate 3.3°N 123.16°W / 3.3; -123.16.[1]

Statistics

The mission was the 4th launch of the Vega launcher (the 1st out of 3 in 2015), and the 261st Arianespace mission (the 1st in 2015).

References
  1. Marco, Victor; Contreras, Rafael; Sanchez, Raul; Rodriguez, Guillermo; Serrano, Daniel; Kerr, Murray; Fernandez, Vicente; Haya-Ramos, Rodrigo; Peñin, Luis F.; Ospina, Jose A.; De Zaiacomo, Gabriale; Bejar-Romero, Juan Antonio; Yague, Ricardo; Zaccagnino, Elio; Preaud, Jean-Philippe (July 2016). "The IXV guidance, navigation and control subsystem: Development, verification and performances". Acta Astronautica. 124: 53–66. doi:10.1016/j.actaastro.2016.04.010.
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