IXV

innov
IXV 1

IXV

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Experimental atmospheric re-entry vehicle

This reusable and unmanned demonstrator vehicle is a project of the European Space Agency (ESA) and has the ability to make orbital flights and move in a flat flight, between re-entry into the atmosphere and the mooring site. ISQ was very involved in the development of IXV, being the only Portuguese entity that has continuously followed this project since its inception. More recently, the collaboration with ESA took place from the test center that the Group holds in Castelo Branco. ISQ has been providing services to the aerospace industry for more than 10 years and in addition to participating in technology development projects, it also has a permanent team at the European Space Center, where it participates in the preparation and launch operations of the 3 systems there: Ariane 5, Soyuz and Vega. The Castelo Branco test center represents an important investment in the area of innovation, and allows studies and tests on various components in composite aircraft materials, such as wings, rudders, cabin components, etc. In this center it is possible to perform all the life cycles of the plane, which can include hundreds of different combinations, such as flight types, wind gusts, storms, soft or sudden landings.