CIRA USV (Unmanned Space Vehicle) Castor and Polluce

[hesham]

Hi,

The Italian research agency CIRA is developed an USV (unmanned space vehicle)
it has a small delta wing and V-tail,and it flew in Feb. 2007.

 

[zhuravlik]

My first post!
Downloaded from CIRA site.

 

[Matej]

Welcome here zhuravlik

Some other CGI from CIRA presentation materials...

 

[hesham]

Hi,

http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/hyperbola/2008/05/thales-alenia-spaces-answer-to-1.html#more

 

[archipeppe]

I open up again this old thread only to report that today was launched the second USV, the FTB-2 christened "Polluce" ("Pollux").

The mission started today at 8.45 (CET) from the airstrip of Tortolì-Arbatax (Sardinia) with a stratospheric balloon, at 10.25 ad at height of 24 Km the FTB-2 was dropped from the balloon and started the forseen supersonic maneouvers profile.

Both parachutes (pilot and main) was released flawlessly and the vehicle performed a soft splashdown at 10.35.
At 12.00 the vehicle was successfully recovered by a ship of Italian Navy.

 

[archipeppe]

To celebrate this success of Italian Aerospace Research Center (CIRA)....

 

[mz]

That's wonderful! We have far too little information of Europe's rocket / space vehicle development programs.
Any links?

 

[archipeppe]

That's wonderful! We have far too little information of Europe's rocket / space vehicle development programs.
Any links?

At the moment the best source of informations are:

1) The CIRA itself at www.cira.it
2) And Dedalonews the Italian press agency specialized in Aerospace and Defence at www.dedalonews.it

 

[dannydale]

That's wonderful! We have far too little information of Europe's rocket / space vehicle development programs.
Any links?

Agreed. This is the first I've heard of this test, but I've seen the design before. She's a pretty one, too!

 

[Matej]

model 1:32

 

[Matej]

Nice photos of the Polluce: http://www.cira.it/html/italiano/img/polluce/lancio_polluce.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dddXfwuX6Is

 

[dannydale]

Gratz and bravissimo on a successful flight! Beautiful little ship, too! ;D

 

[blackstar]

Gratz and bravissimo on a successful flight! Beautiful little ship, too! ;D

Wouldn't it look even better if they painted a shark mouth on the nose and flames down the sides?

 

[dannydale]

Gratz and bravissimo on a successful flight! Beautiful little ship, too! ;D

Wouldn't it look even better if they painted a shark mouth on the nose and flames down the sides?

That sounds like how Americans* would paint it, lol.

*disclaimer: je suis americain, keke ^_^

 

[XP67_Moonbat]

That would actually be cool.

 

[Matej]

With the increased amount of information I collected I become more and more interested in this project. I think that after X-37 I have another strong inspiration for the detailed article.

http://sait.oat.ts.astro.it/MSAIt790308/PDF/2008MmSAI..79..863R.pdf

http://www.aerospacetestinginternational.com/downloads/cira.pdf

Just type to the google: "CIRA USV filetypedf" and you will have a lot of interesting info.

 

[dannydale]

Wow!! I think they need to ask Ferrari if they can paint the next ship the trademark red!

 

[OM]

Gratz and bravissimo on a successful flight! Beautiful little ship, too! ;D

Wouldn't it look even better if they painted a shark mouth on the nose and flames down the sides?

That sounds like how Americans* would paint it, lol.

...Nah, we'd paint a sexy, scantily-clad girl on the nose, and have at least 20 sponsor stickers including STP and Michelin ;D

 

[antigravite]

CIRA's USV3 mock up displayed this year at Le Bourget.


A.