XCor Receives Sub-Orbital Launch Permit

Marc Newman writes "MSNBC is reporting that XCor has received the second FAA suborbital launch permit. Xcor Aerospace is not competing in the X-Prize but rather is 'in it to make money'. They are still awaiting a launch permit for their Mojave desert launch site. It'd be interesting if XCor beat Scaled Composites with the first sub-orbital flight but couldn't claim the $10 million prize."

Comments

Re:Requirements?

[twenty-exty-six]

Privately finances, builds & launches a spaceship, able to carry three people to 100 kilometers (62.5 miles)

Returns safely to Earth

Repeats the launch with the same ship within 2 weeks

Re:Hmm...

[Fiz Ocelot]

The Rules read: " 3. The flight vehicle must be flown twice within a 14-day period. Each flight must carry at least one person, to minimum altitude of 100 km (62 miles). The flight vehicle must be built with the capacity (weight and volume) to carry a minimum of 3 adults of height 188 cm (6 feet 2 inches) and weight 90 kg (198 pounds) each. Three people of this size or larger must be able to enter, occupy, and be fastened into the flight vehicle on Earth's surface prior to take-off, and equivalent ballast must be carried in-flight if the number of persons on-board during flight is less than 3 persons."

It didn't look like their vehicle has the capacity required, but I could be wrong. Sure didn't look like it to me.

Re:Obligatory Question

[Anonymous Coward]

It's not a permit to fly around in space. It's a permit to fly through US airspace on the way to space.

Actually...

[BTWR]

It'd be interesting if XCor beat Scaled Composites with the first sub-orbital flight but couldn't claim the $10 million prize.

Beating Scaled Composites into sub-orbit is not enough to claim the X-prize. To claim the $10 million, you have to fly the same craft TWICE into sub-orbit within (I believe) 2 weeks.

Re:Requirements?

[V00D00 NiggerDoll]

A team must build a sub-orbital spaceplane that can carry three people to an altitude of 45 miles. Then, it must use the same vehcile to perform the same feat within three weeks.

Do this, and you get a $10,000,000 prize.

good link (xprize), X Prize Cup?

[aggiefalcon01]

Since people keep asking about the requirements ... here ya go

The site shows something else interesting ... that while Xcor isn't participating in the X Prize, they do plan on participating in the X Prize Cup (which will happen later).

Re:Requirements?

[BiggerBoat]

Not quite. It need not be a "spaceplane"... a simple rocket will do. And it needs to fly to 62 miles, or 100 kilometers. It needs to be able to carry three 198lb, 6'2" people to that height, but two of the three people can be represented by ballast - only one live body needs fly. That person needs to return in good health. And the vehicle needs to do it twice in two weeks, not three, between which no more than 10% of the mass mass of the vehicle (not including propellant) can be replaced.

Oh, and one other thing... the ten million dollars is only funded through the end of this year.

no

[rebelcool]

there is no regulation of orbit.

There is, however, regulation of the air between the ground and orbit.

Which is what the FAA regulates. Launching potentially dangerous vehicles through said air falls under their purvue of regulation.

Re:Family Affair

[Tyler Eaves]

Nitpick: Jenna Yeager (Voyager) is NO relation to Chuck.

Re:Sounds like they are well on their way

[DerekLyons]

Why exactly are they not in the x-prize competition? Looks like they may be some real competition.

Because Jeff & Co. are in the game for the long haul, not the short stunt. Don't get me wrong, the X-Prize is wonderful, but to date all of the vehicles proposed for it are stunt ships, not prototypes of commercial ships.