The European Space Agency's new space plane spent just 100 minutes in the air on Wednesday. The experimental new craft, which was launched in order to test many of its onboard systems, first shot up into the air in South America. Later, it shed multiple components and used a powerful engine to launch itself into orbit; at which point it flew across the Atlantic Ocean and Africa, eventually coming back down to the Earth in the Pacific Ocean.
And all in 100 minutes!
Apparently, the key in all this is for spacecraft to be able to launch, and then reenter the atmostpher with little problem, using a resuable launcher to get them up there in the first place. Once that's locked down, the ESA (or European Space Agency) describes a huge number of uses that technology like that could provide. A few such options: Sample return from other planets and crew return from space, as well as for future Earth observation, microgravity research, satellite servicing and disposal missions."
Giorgio Tumino, project manager for the ESA flight, spoke on the importance of the event.
"This was a short mission with big impact," Tumino stated.
"The cutting-edge technology we validated today, and the data gathered from the sensors aboard IXV, will open numerous opportunities for Europe to develop ambitious plans in space transportation for a multitude of applications."
Even more potential comes from the possiblities of using this technology to shuttle people back and forth from Earth to outer space. The Independent claims that this technology would be crucial in making space travel far more cheaper, easier and more effective. Presumably, such technology would only be used to transport astronauts into space and to deliver them to space stations. But a few years into the future, think what else we could do!This could potentially be the beginning of legitimate space tourism. You never know.
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