Page 73 - Italy In Space
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Space Vehicles: IXV (Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle)
Feb 11, 2015. Launch of IXV (Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle) that represents a major step forward of
Europe towards access to space. The spaceplane is launched from Kourou into a suborbital trajectory with
ESA‟s Vega rocket, reached the altitude of 413 km and reentered at the max speed of 7,5 km/s.
After 104 minutes from lift-off, IXV splashed down in the Equatorial Pacific Ocean and was recovered
by the Italian vessel NOS ARIES. Commemorative recovery cover, postmarked on 23 Feb. 2015 when
the recovery ship crossed the Panama Canal, directed to Kourou in the Atlantic Ocean.
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