European eXPErimental Re-entry Testbed

European eXPErimental Re-entry Test-bed (EXPERT) is a European Space Agency aerothermodynamics research programme. It was planned that vehicle will be launched on a Russian Volna launch vehicle and will provide knowledge and experience in the design and development of re-entry vehicles.[1] As of 2012, one element in a European Space Agency push to develop vehicles capable of re-entry has been pushed back until at least 2013 as the agency seeks a launch alternative to the Russian submarine-launched Volna rocket which was withdrawn.[2] One of its main goals was to test materials for ESA's Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle (IXV), an unmanned, delta-winged plane launched in 2015 aboard ESA's new Vega small-satellite launcher.[3] Currently EXPERT remains in storage conditions in Turin.[4]

EXPERT

EXPERT Mission objectives

According to an ESA-ESTEC paper,[5] the EXPERT program has the following goals:

  • Enable in-flight data gathering of selected aerothermodynamic phenomena with high accuracy and reliability
  • Allow the validation of numerical modeling tools (CFD) and of methodologies for ground-to-flight data extrapolation
  • Qualify in-flight classical and advanced measurement techniques
  • Conduct extensive post-flight analyses based on in-flight data, pre-flight numerical databases, preflight ground testing activities.
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References
  1. "Space cone to acquire expert data". July 21, 2009 – via news.bbc.co.uk.
  2. Thisdell, Dan (June 25, 2012). "ESA re-entry test needs new budget after Russian pull-out". Flightglobal.com.
  3. "European Re-entry Capsule Grounded After Russia Withdraws Launch Offer". SpaceNews.com. June 7, 2012.
  4. "ESA Bulletin 161 (1st quarter 2015)" (PDF). ESA. 2015. p. 79. ISSN 0376-4265. Retrieved 30 May 2015.
  5. "European Experimental Re-Entry Testbed EXPERT: Qualification of Payloads for Flight" (PDF).
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