Swedish Chinook carrying a test model - But what is the craft?

Can any one help me out here please? I found this image on the web whilst browsing for music of all things.

here is a direct link to imageshack, which shows the markings of both the helicopter and craft (Unknown) If any one has any ideas about what it is I would appreciate your ideas.

Thank you. : )

img169.imageshack.us...

Looks kind of like a re-entry vehicle. >shrug<

My 2 cent,
Lex

Wow thanks...thats a really really helpful piece of information...

Sweden researching re-entry vehicles? do you have any more information on it>??


Oh I get it, your saying you don't care about it -well thats cool as well, because I do and thats all that counts really.

It is most likely to be the EADS Phoenix space plane test model which was tested in 2004 after being dropped from a Swedish helo, a report is here


Also the helo is not a Chinook, its a CH-46 Sea Knight.

Thank you very much waynos on both points. I stand corrected on the helicopter, and informed on the craft. Many thanks.

: ) .

Now, any ideas if the project went any further?

The Pheonix is a small landing demonstrator for the hopper reusable first stage concept.

The full scale hopper would take of from horizontally from a mag-lev rail at Kourou, and would have been powered by three Vulcan II engines as used on the Ariane 5 ECA. It would release an internally carried expendable upperstage in suborbit and land on one of various mid Atlantic sites, Ascension Island etc. IIRC the payload to orbit was about six tonnes.

I think the project was canned a long time ago. It would need a very high flight rate to recoup investment costs. A problem almost all reusable space planes have.




[edit on 15-7-2006 by Nacnud]

The pic won't load but I can confirm that Sweden is involved in gliding tests of the EADS Pheonix.

I can confirm that it's a Sea Knight and not a Chinook.