The wake behind an Apollo shaped capsule is investigated in the framework of the ’afterbody heating’ topic in the RTO WG043 working group. Measurements are performed by means of schlieren, shadowgraphy and stereo particle image velocimetry (SPIV) and are used for CFD validation purposes. The model geometry is a scaled version of the AS-202. It was found from the shadowgraph results that the angle of attack where separation occurs decreases with increasing Mach number and is not influenced by the Reynolds number. Furthermore, it was possible to correlate the shear layer transition location using Re2,xt , which is the Reynolds number based on post normal shock conditions where the length scale is the flow path from stagnation point to transition point. SPIV measurements were obtained at Mach 2 and 0º and 25º angle of attack. For the 0º model, the wake was completely separated while for the 25º model the wake was partially separated and reattaches half way the model. Overall the PIV data return a quantitative three dimensional description of the velocity field around the capsule.