ESA's EXPERT nose cap relates to the re-entry of spacecraft into the Earth's atmosphere. Developed by the German Aerospace Centre, EXPERT's fibre-ceramic nose cap must withstand extreme surface temperatures of about 2,100 degrees Celsius. The nose cap is made of ceramic materials because these are much more heat-resistant than metals, extremely light, and dimensionally stable even at high temperatures. The objective of the mission is to gather high-quality data on the aero-thermodynamics of re-entry. For that purpose, the EXPERT capsule is equipped with 14 experiments that will carry out measurements during its flight through the atmosphere. Most of the important instruments are built into the nose of the space capsule. The capsule has already been completely integrated and extensively tested; it is now ready to fly.