Rocketplane unveils new XP design
Posted: Sat, Oct 27, 2007, 8:39 AM ET (1239 GMT)
Rocketplane Global revealed on Friday a new design for its XP suborbital spaceplane that the company plans to have flying in 2010. The new design eliminates the Learjet heritage that had been the previous basis for the XP in favor of a design with a larger cabin that can accommodate five passengers and a pilot. More powerful jet engines will allow the XP to fly to 12,000 meters altitude before igniting its rocket engine, about twice the altitude of the old design. Company officials said that they are currently raising an unspecified amount of money for the vehicle to fund its development, with test flights slated to begin in 2010. Rocketplane Global's parent company, Rocketplane Inc., also operates Rocketplane Kistler; that company lost a funded COTS award from NASA earlier this month that would have supported the development of a completely different orbital vehicle, the K-1.
Rocketplane Global revealed on Friday a new design for its XP suborbital spaceplane that the company plans to have flying in 2010. The new design eliminates the Learjet heritage that had been the previous basis for the XP in favor of a design with a larger cabin that can accommodate five passengers and a pilot. More powerful jet engines will allow the XP to fly to 12,000 meters altitude before igniting its rocket engine, about twice the altitude of the old design. Company officials said that they are currently raising an unspecified amount of money for the vehicle to fund its development, with test flights slated to begin in 2010. Rocketplane Global's parent company, Rocketplane Inc., also operates Rocketplane Kistler; that company lost a funded COTS award from NASA earlier this month that would have supported the development of a completely different orbital vehicle, the K-1.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
Blue Origin describes plans for increased New Glenn launch rates
Posted: Sat, Oct 17 11:41 AM ET (1541 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Saturday, October 24
China launches new remote sensing satellite
Xinhua — 8:44 am ET (1244 GMT) China launches new remote sensing satellite groups
Xinhua — 8:44 am ET (1244 GMT) NASA Artemis Update: SLS Stacking, Sortie Suit, Dual 2028 Paths
NasaSpaceFlight.com — 8:42 am ET (1242 GMT) NASA Is Still Aiming for the Next Moon Landing in 2028
New York Times — 8:39 am ET (1239 GMT) SpaceX launches Starlink 15-15 mission following a trio of scrubs
Spaceflight Now — 8:38 am ET (1238 GMT) |
