The Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle was an uncrewed suborbital spaceplane developed to test atmospheric reentry technologies. It featured a wingless lifting body design and ceramic heat shields to survive the extreme temperatures of returning from space. The flight gathered aerodynamic and thermal data to help engineers design future reusable spacecraft.
Heard on the job
The aerodynamic flaps on the IXV maintained stability perfectly during the hypersonic phase of the descent.