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Model: EXTV.

Ares
Winged orbital launch vehicle. Family: Winged. Other Family: Design. Country: France. Status: Design 1999. Other Designations: European eXperimental Test Vehicle.

This was to be a reusable winged rocket-powered atmospheric reentry demonstrator capable of reaching speeds of Mach 4 to 10 in the atmosphere. The aim was for ESA to build up experience in reuse operations and high-speed atmospheric flight in the 2003-2007 period. The demonstrator would weigh two tonnes and have a range of 1500 kilometers. It would be able to land on a conventional runway. Dassault and Aerospatiale Matra were to merge their VEHRA and ARES projects to produce a single design. Ares estimated cost was 550 million dollars.

Manufacturer: ESA.

Bibliography:

  • Sweetman. Bill, Interavia, "Review of Air Force Association Show", 9/23/87.
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