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A Chinook rises to 17,000 ft to cooperate in an aerospace test

Wednesday, April 17, 2019

Number: 7305

The Chinook begins transporting the rocket

 

The Chinook begins transporting the rocket

A Chinook from the V Manoeuvre Helicopter Battalion reached 17,000 ft, a height never before reached by one of these helicopters in Spain, to cooperate in rocket recovery tests. The test was conducted by the National Institute of Aeorospace Technology in the El Arenosillo facilities in Huelva on the 11th of April.

The project, in which the European Space Agency also took part, involved enabling the recovery of the Miura suborbital launcher, which carries satellites to space, after completeing its mission and returning to earth so that it can be reused. To achieve this, it had to rise to the aforementioned height and launch the rocket to check the correct aperture for the parachutes which break its fall when it reenters the atmosphere.

The crew of the Chinook from the Army Helicopter Forces was chosen to realize this test which proved to be a success because the three parachutes with which the rocket was provided were opened sequentially, allowing for a gentle landing off the coast of Huelva, from where the rocket was recovered by one of the ships which was waiting for its return.

The experiment required a high level of prior preparation, because the altitude, weight and total length of the load had to be identified in order for it to be carried out. The fact that in Spain no Chinook had ever reached 17,000 ft also had to be taken into account. In fact, it was established that it would not be able to reach this height if the temperature rose higher than 27 º C, or if the humidity in the air created conditions which would make freezing possible.

Fortunately, conditions were good on the day of the test and the crew – provided with oxygen masks, which are required for flights above 13,000 ft – was able to perform this experiment which represented a great success for the Spanish aerospace industry and research – because the company which made the rocket, PLD Space, is also Spanish – and to which the Army has also contributed..