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Europe is all set to launch its mini 'spaceplane' demonstrator, the BBC reported.

The unmanned Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle (IXV) will launch atop a Vega rocket from South America, fly east around the globe, before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean.

The wedge-shaped craft is designed to gather information on how space objects fall back to Earth.

Engineers could use the data to inform a range of future technologies from re-usable rockets to Mars landers.

Lift-off for the Vega from French Guiana is timed for 10:00 local time (13:00 GMT) on Wednesday.

It will throw the IXV to an altitude of 450km, from where the European Space Agency (Esa) test article will then begin its rapid descent.

By the time it re-enters the atmosphere, the craft should be moving at 7.5km/s. As it pushes up against the air, the temperatures on its leading surfaces will soar to 1,700C.

Flaps and thrusters will be used to control the trajectory, ensuring the IXV comes down close to a recovery ship some 3,000km west of the Galapagos Islands.

A parachute system deployed in the very late stages of the flight will put the two-tonne vehicle gently in the water. Floatation balloons will come out to stop it from sinking.

Beginning to end, the complete mission is expected to last approximately one hour and 40 minutes.