Companies announce suborbital space tourism vehicle
Posted: Tue, Jul 23, 2002, 8:59 AM ET (1259 GMT)
Space Adventures and XCOR Aerospace announced Monday plans to develop a reusable suborbital spacecraft to be used for space tourism flights. The Xerus would take off and land like an airplane but be able to take two people — a pilot and a passenger — to an altitude of 100 km. The hour-long flight would include several minutes of weightlessness, as well as the opportunity to see the Earth from space. The cost of developing the Xerus was not disclosed, but the companies said that test flights would begin 18 months after full funding was secured, with the vehicle entering revenues service 18 months after that. XCOR, which has tested rocket-powered aircraft with its EZ-Rocket, will develop and build the Xerus, while Space Adventures will handle the booking and training of passengers.
Space Adventures and XCOR Aerospace announced Monday plans to develop a reusable suborbital spacecraft to be used for space tourism flights. The Xerus would take off and land like an airplane but be able to take two people — a pilot and a passenger — to an altitude of 100 km. The hour-long flight would include several minutes of weightlessness, as well as the opportunity to see the Earth from space. The cost of developing the Xerus was not disclosed, but the companies said that test flights would begin 18 months after full funding was secured, with the vehicle entering revenues service 18 months after that. XCOR, which has tested rocket-powered aircraft with its EZ-Rocket, will develop and build the Xerus, while Space Adventures will handle the booking and training of passengers.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
Starship explodes during preparations for static-fire test
Posted: Sun, Jun 22 6:52 AM ET (1052 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Tuesday, July 1
Move over Starlink, here comes Kuiper
Gulf News — 4:58 am ET (0858 GMT) USSF Seeks Industry Ideas For Space-Based Interceptors
Aviation Week — 4:57 am ET (0857 GMT) Don’t forget about Iran’s space program
POLITICO — 4:54 am ET (0854 GMT) EU Space Act is ‘orbital equivalent of GDPR’, says lawyer
Luxembourg Times — 4:53 am ET (0853 GMT) Poland’s second ever astronaut is safe in space
Euro Weekly News — 4:49 am ET (0849 GMT) |
