Mission 28A-1: RRTV-SN1 Drop Test
On September 30th, 2023, ASE teams attached the RRTV drop test article, dubbed SN1, to a large balloon which carried SN1 to 4.6 kilometers ASL. SN1 was released from the balloon and deployed it drogue parachute, followed by the main chute to perform a soft landing on land near its launch site. The test validated the RRTV’s stability and parachute system. Mission 28A-2 will be performed from the Scorpius drop tower, and will follow at “swing and slam” profile where the vehicle is released, swung up, dropped, and crashed into a pool of water at the base of the structure.