Excelsior rocket plane cockpit, drop test, Mission 6, Video 2, 2011
4,780 views · Published 29 September 2011 · 2:24 · Indexed 1 October 2026
Channel: ArcaSpace · 2011 · Science & Technology
Mission 6 On September 26, 2011 ARCA carried out Mission 6. The mission took place in cooperation with the Special Aviation Unit and the Coast Guard and the mission objective was to test the recovery system for Excelsior crew capsule. At 11.00 AM a Mi-17 helicopter from Special Aviation Unit lifted the capsule at 2200 ft (700 m) above sea level. At that altitude the helicopter released the capsule. The parachute was extracted from its canister by a rocket, it rapidly opened and the capsule landed on the sea surface with a descent speed of 7 m/s. The capsule was recovered by the same helicopter with the support of the Coast Guard.
