Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle: electrical motors from Thales
Last February, a Vega launcher injected Europe’s Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle demonstrator (IXV) into a suborbital atmospheric re-entry trajectory. The demonstrator was carrying 10 systems designed by Thales. For the IXV programme, Thales supplied nozzle actuators for the Vega launcher’s three engine stages as well as the drive motors and brakes for the two flight actuators used to bring IXV back to Earth.
Didier Renté, Head of electric actuator research and development, explains how Thales contributed to the success of this demonstration
What exact role did Thales play in the IXV flight?
Vega is a light launcher able to orbit payloads of one ton. For this programme, we worked with actuator supplier SABCA.
Thales designed the actuator drive motors for the thrust-vectoring nozzles that control the launcher’s trajectory during the launch phase, and the actuators for the flight surfaces (flaps) that control the IXV’s atmospheric re-entry trajectory. Thales also supplied the brake systems.
What were the main challenges you faced?
Reliability was the crucial element given the required level of safety. We also had to adapt to climatic factors and to mechanical shocks sustained during the launch phase. We have to be sure that these pyrotechnic shocks don’t damage our systems. Aircraft systems don’t have to cope with those kinds of constraints.
What are the reasons behind Thales’s success in this field?
Thales has been working on space system motors for 20 years now, supplying nozzle actuation motors and small rotary actuators for a range of mechanisms.
This experience has given us the extra credibility we need with our customers. And as we principally supply aircraft systems, we have a different approach that means we’re competitive in this niche market.
What future prospects do you see?
We’re already preparing several bids, and the fact that actuators increasingly use electric systems rather than hydraulics is of course an opportunity for us.
Thales also supplied the inertial measurement units (IMU) for the launcher and IXV demonstrator. See the details in a special inertial systems feature coming out at the end of April.
More information about Thales's role as a prime contractor on this projet: here