THE EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY'S (ESA) Atmospheric Re-entry Demonstrator (ARD) capsule is pictured with two stabilisation balloons, in the Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of Sicily, following its 18min descent-and-recovery test. After being dropped from a stratospheric balloon at 82,000ft (25,000m) and making a 33,000ft free-fall, its one drogue and three main parachutes were deployed (Flight International, 31 July-6 August). The demonstrator is for a future European manned craft.