Author Topic: XCOR and the Lynx rocket (Read 620887 times)

Robert Thompson · « **Reply #480 on:** 05/31/2013 06:24 pm »

Quote from: Elmar Moelzer on 05/31/2013 06:08 pm

I still think that the Xerus was cooler looking though.

Xerus looks like a Air Force advanced fighter. Is Lynx missing any performance that Xerus had?

FutureSpaceTourist · « **Reply #481 on:** 05/31/2013 08:13 pm »

Quote from: Hernalt on 05/31/2013 06:24 pm

Is Lynx missing any performance that Xerus had?

I don't believe so in terms of altitude, but Xerus was bigger and carried more people (eg to meet X-prize three people requirements). Much better that XCOR starts with something smaller like Lynx.

Elmar Moelzer · « **Reply #482 on:** 06/01/2013 03:29 am »

Another difference was that in the Xerus people were sitting behind each other, while in the Lynx pilot and passenger sit next to each other, giving the passenger a better view. So from a business perspective the Lynx should be more attractive to clients. The Xerus just looked a bit slicker, as Hernalt says, like an airforce fighter.

Lars_J · « **Reply #483 on:** 06/01/2013 03:59 pm »

Quote from: jongoff on 05/31/2013 05:42 pm

Quote from: Elmar Moelzer on 05/31/2013 05:35 pm
I think VG is a bit ahead of the game, but I love the Lynx and XCOR. Some competition between the two certainly makes things more exciting.

While VG's delays definitely gave XCOR (and others) an opportunity to catch up and beat them to a suborbital capability, it looks like XCOR wasn't able to get it's funding situation in order fast enough. It would be exciting though if both XCOR and VG were flying by the end of next year.

~Jon

It would be - but until we see any clues to a completed aircraft somewhere, I'm not betting on XCOR flying anytime soon. I have yet to see anything but crude mock ups - but then again they could be very secretive.

QuantumG · « **Reply #484 on:** 06/02/2013 12:04 am »

Quote from: Lars_J on 06/01/2013 03:59 pm

It would be - but until we see any clues to a completed aircraft somewhere, I'm not betting on XCOR flying anytime soon. I have yet to see anything but crude mock ups - but then again they could be very secretive.

No-one cares about your predictions. It'll fly when it's ready.

Lars_J · « **Reply #485 on:** 06/02/2013 04:57 am »

Quote from: QuantumG on 06/02/2013 12:04 am

Quote from: Lars_J on 06/01/2013 03:59 pm
It would be - but until we see any clues to a completed aircraft somewhere, I'm not betting on XCOR flying anytime soon. I have yet to see anything but crude mock ups - but then again they could be very secretive.

No-one cares about your predictions.

At least you cared enough to reply to it, and that warms my heart.

Quote from: QuantumG on 06/02/2013 12:04 am

It'll fly when it's ready.

Stop the presses!

QuantumG · « **Reply #486 on:** 06/02/2013 05:02 am »

Quote from: Lars_J on 06/02/2013 04:57 am

At least you cared enough to reply to it, and that warms my heart.

I reply to John and Happy Martian too. Sorry to burst your bubble.

Quote

Quote from: QuantumG on 06/02/2013 12:04 am
It'll fly when it's ready.

Stop the presses!

XCOR believe in careful management of public perception. Whenever people hear about XCOR their impression gets just a little more positive. Sometimes circumstances conspire to ruin what was otherwise a safe bet.. like last year when they thought they'd be starting flight testing by the end of the year, only to hit a delay with a contractor. Hopefully it won't happen again this year.

jongoff · « **Reply #487 on:** 06/04/2013 01:35 am »

Quote from: Lars_J on 06/01/2013 03:59 pm

Quote from: jongoff on 05/31/2013 05:42 pm
Quote from: Elmar Moelzer on 05/31/2013 05:35 pm
I think VG is a bit ahead of the game, but I love the Lynx and XCOR. Some competition between the two certainly makes things more exciting.

While VG's delays definitely gave XCOR (and others) an opportunity to catch up and beat them to a suborbital capability, it looks like XCOR wasn't able to get it's funding situation in order fast enough. It would be exciting though if both XCOR and VG were flying by the end of next year.

~Jon

It would be - but until we see any clues to a completed aircraft somewhere, I'm not betting on XCOR flying anytime soon. I have yet to see anything but crude mock ups - but then again they could be very secretive.

I happened to see some of their airframe hardware several months back, while getting a tour of a composites shop they turned out to be using. I do agree though that from the time they start showing airplane-looking pictures to when they actually can start flying it will still likely be at least half a year (which is faster than Scaled's rule of thumb for how long it takes to go from something airplane-looking till first test flight).

~Jon

simonbp · « **Reply #488 on:** 06/04/2013 03:58 am »

The pictures Jeff Greason showed at Space Access were wing-like and fuselage-like, but not quite wings-on-fuselage.

But yeah, it did sounds like structures were the longest tent pole at the moment.

FutureSpaceTourist · « **Reply #489 on:** 06/04/2013 07:49 pm »

XCOR have released a great Lynx cutaway image.

Elmar Moelzer · « **Reply #490 on:** 06/04/2013 09:42 pm »

Very cool!

Confusador · « **Reply #491 on:** 06/05/2013 05:31 am »

Jeff Foust and Doug Messier were both tweeting from the presentation at NSRC, here are some highlights:

Quote from: Doug Messier

Andrew Nelson, XCOR: Cockpit is nearing completion @ Adams Works. Be done end of June, early July Move forward w/ full integration #NSRC2013

Quote from: Jeff Foust

Nelson: making final touches on Lynx avionics; aerodynamics "done for now" (tweaks possible after flight tests start) #NSRC2013
Nelson: wing development project finishing up, final manufacturing cycle in 4-6 weeks. Nose design complete, in manufacturing #NSRC2013

Hopefully one of them will have time to do a full writeup after the conference closes.

jongoff · « **Reply #492 on:** 06/05/2013 12:55 pm »

Quote from: Confusador on 06/05/2013 05:31 am

Jeff Foust and Doug Messier were both tweeting from the presentation at NSRC, here are some highlights:

Quote from: Doug Messier
Andrew Nelson, XCOR: Cockpit is nearing completion @ Adams Works. Be done end of June, early July Move forward w/ full integration #NSRC2013

I had a tour of AdamWorks earlier this year (or maybe it was late last fall, can't recall for sure), and saw them working on the cockpit pressure vessel at that point. It was a very sophisticated part (as you can kind of see from the cutaway picture above). Glad to hear they're making progress on the airframe. It'll be neat to see all the pieces coming together, and if they can get them together in time to start doing runway hops this year.

~Jon

jongoff · « **Reply #493 on:** 06/05/2013 12:58 pm »

Since NSRC was just 5 miles from my house this year, I was able to take my family to see the Lynx mockup before I went into the conference. Only mildly relevant, but fun pictures (to give a sense of scale of course!):

https://twitter.com/rocketrepreneur/status/342133052262195202
https://twitter.com/rocketrepreneur/status/342133563656916993
https://twitter.com/rocketrepreneur/status/342133861288923136
https://twitter.com/rocketrepreneur/status/342134211920142337

~Jon

Falcon H · « **Reply #494 on:** 06/05/2013 03:10 pm »

Quote from: Hernalt on 05/31/2013 06:24 pm

Quote from: Elmar Moelzer on 05/31/2013 06:08 pm
I still think that the Xerus was cooler looking though.
Xerus looks like a Air Force advanced fighter. Is Lynx missing any performance that Xerus had?

I e-mailed XCOR a few questions a while back, they told me that when they were proposing Xerus they were only working on the engines, and that's like trying to sell some one a car, but only showing them the wheels. Xerus was just to give people an idea of what XCOR's spacecraft (lynx) might look like.

Garrett · « **Reply #495 on:** 06/05/2013 08:45 pm »

Quote from: jongoff on 06/05/2013 12:58 pm

Since NSRC was just 5 miles from my house this year, I was able to take my family to see the Lynx mockup before I went into the conference. Only mildly relevant, but fun pictures (to give a sense of scale of course!):

https://twitter.com/rocketrepreneur/status/342133052262195202
https://twitter.com/rocketrepreneur/status/342133563656916993
https://twitter.com/rocketrepreneur/status/342133861288923136
https://twitter.com/rocketrepreneur/status/342134211920142337

~Jon

Very cool!
Looks quite roomy actually. Did it feel roomy? And what do you think the visibility will be like from inside?

Garrett · « **Reply #496 on:** 07/02/2013 01:54 pm »

XCOR Aerospace plans suborbital flights from KSC by 2015
Todd Halvorson, FLORIDA TODAY, Jun. 28, 2013
http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20130628/NEWS01/130628009/XCOR-Aerospace-plans-suborbital-flights-from-KSC-by-2015

Quote

A fledgling space tourism company intends to begin flying suborbital test flights out of Kennedy Space Center by 2015, officials announced today

Also:
Suborbit flights to take off, land at Kennedy Space Center
Greg Pallone, Bay News 9, July 01, 2013
http://www.baynews9.com/content/news/baynews9/news/article.html/.../sub_orbit_flights_to.html

fatjohn1408 · « **Reply #497 on:** 08/20/2013 05:21 pm »

Quote from: Garrett on 07/02/2013 01:54 pm

XCOR Aerospace plans suborbital flights from KSC by 2015
Todd Halvorson, FLORIDA TODAY, Jun. 28, 2013
http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20130628/NEWS01/130628009/XCOR-Aerospace-plans-suborbital-flights-from-KSC-by-2015
Quote
A fledgling space tourism company intends to begin flying suborbital test flights out of Kennedy Space Center by 2015, officials announced today

Also:
Suborbit flights to take off, land at Kennedy Space Center
Greg Pallone, Bay News 9, July 01, 2013
http://www.baynews9.com/content/news/baynews9/news/article.html/.../sub_orbit_flights_to.html

Doesn't this mean they have encountered extra delays? I thought I read recently 2014. Heck a long time ago they said 2011. It ain't rocket science you know.

Oh wait...

Robotbeat · « **Reply #498 on:** 08/20/2013 06:37 pm »

They still will fly earlier than 2015 (according to XCOR), just not necessarily from Florida.

Lars_J · « **Reply #499 on:** 08/20/2013 06:54 pm »

Quote from: Robotbeat on 08/20/2013 06:37 pm

They still will fly earlier than 2015 (according to XCOR), just not necessarily from Florida.

Are you sure? We have seen no flight test, and not even any runway roll tests with any test vehicle. (as far as I'm aware)