STV-2 (Suborbital Test Vehicle 2)

The payload was a reentry capsule known as RED-25 (Reentry Device ) built by SpaceWorks as part of their project to develope a cost-efficient system to bring cargo, products and experiments back from space on demand. The capsule have 1 meter of diameter a mass of less 120 kg were 100 kg are space assigned to the payload items. The capsule counts with a reconfigurable payload bay and lands under a guided parafoil for precision landing. Among the envisaged applications are: return of samples, hoist zero gravity experiments and on-demand cargo return.

The STV-2 Mission objective was to develop and test the capsule, its use of a parafoil and its guided landing, in a pre-determined ellipse after being dropped from a balloon at 103.000 ft of altitude. The balloon was launched from Madras, Oregon and brought the capsule back down safely to a within 100 yards of the planned target location.

This flight test was performed under the framework of NASA's Flight Opportunities Program.

Balloon launched on: 10/19/2021 at 14:20 utc
Launch site: Madras Municipal Airport, Oregon, US  
Balloon launched by: Near Space Corporation (NSC)
Balloon manufacturer/size/composition: Zero Pressure Balloon  
End of flight (L for landing time, W for last contact, otherwise termination time): 10/19/2021 at (L) 16:00 utc
Balloon flight duration (F: time at float only, otherwise total flight time in d:days / h:hours or m:minutes - ): ~ 2 h
Landing site: N of Priday Ranch, Oregon, US

• Oct 19, 2021 : High Altitude Balloon Release Test SpaceWorks website
• Testing Precision Landing for Payload Return from Low-Earth Orbit NASA Armstrong press release