Author Topic: Rocketplane XP (Read 34807 times)

gladiator1332 · « **on:** 02/09/2007 05:38 pm »

Supposedly they are going to begin testing this year at some point. Articles do state that the first Sub-Orbital flight will occur in 2008 and atmospheric tests with the jet engines will begin in the Summer of 07.

For background on the Rocketplane XP, you can go here: http://www.rocketplane.com

It should be interesting as their goal is to beat Rutan and Virgin Galactic to be the first to carry a paying customer. However, they have been quiet about any upcoming tests...wonder if anyone on here has any information? This spacecraft is a Corporate Pilot's dream...a Learjet converted into a spacecraft...let's hope they build more, but first let's just get this first one off the ground.

coach · « **Reply #1 on:** 02/09/2007 06:54 pm »

Good luck to them. How many total space tourism companies (and wannabees) are there now? Off the top of my head...

Virgin Galactic
Rocketplane/Kistler
Armadillo Aerospace
Canadian Arrow
Blue Origin
SpaceDev
Benson Aerospace

Have I missed any obvious ones? I would have never thought it 10 years ago.

Coach

coach · « **Reply #2 on:** 02/09/2007 06:56 pm »

Duh, how about the first space tourist and the company that sent him there!!!! Space Adventures

Coach

bad_astra · « **Reply #3 on:** 02/09/2007 08:03 pm »

Quote

coach - 9/2/2007 1:54 PM

Good luck to them. How many total space tourism companies (and wannabees) are there now? Off the top of my head...

Virgin Galactic
Rocketplane/Kistler
Armadillo Aerospace
Canadian Arrow
Blue Origin
SpaceDev
Benson Aerospace

Have I missed any obvious ones? I would have never thought it 10 years ago.

Coach

ARCA, who are flying hardware and bending metal

gladiator1332 · « **Reply #4 on:** 02/11/2007 12:35 am »

The one thing I do like about Rocketplane is the fact that they are not using a mothership to boost it to boost altitude, like SS1 and SS2. And there is no rocket involved to get it off the ground. It seems to me that the Rocketplane XP is an advanced X-15 in a way.

gladiator1332 · « **Reply #5 on:** 02/11/2007 01:54 am »

Here is a great shot of the Rocketplane XP, not sure if this is a mock-up or the real thing.

jongoff · « **Reply #6 on:** 02/11/2007 04:13 am »

Quote

gladiator1332 - 10/2/2007 6:54 PM

Here is a great shot of the Rocketplane XP, not sure if this is a mock-up or the real thing.

Alas, it was a mockup. I was kinda bummed when I got a closer look there in Las Cruces and realized that most if not all of it was fake.

~Jon

gladiator1332 · « **Reply #7 on:** 02/11/2007 04:23 am »

Bummer...though the cockpit windows do look rather fake in that shot. And if it were the real thing, I would think it would have landing gear.

Hopefully we will be seeing the real thing soon, as it looks like it is going to be a great looking aircraft/spacecraft

bad_astra · « **Reply #8 on:** 02/11/2007 06:02 am »

The current Rocketplane design is a long way from the Black Horse style designs. The current mock up looks a lot like the old Vela Spacecruiser:
http://www.incredible-adventures.com/graphics/cruiser1_small.jpg

gladiator1332 · « **Reply #9 on:** 02/11/2007 03:00 pm »

Thanks, I wasn't aware that the design had been changed. Maybe this is why we haven't heard anything about tests in 07. So the VS has been moved from the fuselage to the wing, like the Long-EZ.

stefan1138 · « **Reply #10 on:** 02/13/2007 07:27 pm »

So it will be very interesting to see who will be sending the first suborbital tourists. My bet goes on SpaceDev/Benson (but only my personal feeling).
For me Rocketplane has the best looking vehicle though.

Stefan

Jim · « **Reply #11 on:** 02/13/2007 07:38 pm »

Quote

stefan1138 - 13/2/2007 3:27 PM

So it will be very interesting to see who will be sending the first suborbital tourists. My bet goes on SpaceDev/Benson (but only my personal feeling).
For me Rocketplane has the best looking vehicle though.

Huh??? It will be Virgin Galatic with Spaceship 2

imcub · « **Reply #12 on:** 02/13/2007 08:08 pm »

Quote

Jim
- 13/2/2007 12:38 PM
Quote
stefan1138 - 13/2/2007 3:27 PM
So it will be very interesting to see who will be sending the first
suborbital tourists. My bet goes on SpaceDev/Benson (but only my
personal feeling).
For me Rocketplane has the best looking vehicle though.
Huh??? It will be Virgin Galatic with Spaceship 2

Spaceship2 is how I see it too ... anyone else have a space flight demonstrated prototype?

stefan1138 · « **Reply #13 on:** 02/14/2007 10:53 am »

Quote

imcub - 13/2/2007 3:08 PM

Quote
Jim
- 13/2/2007 12:38 PM
Quote
stefan1138 - 13/2/2007 3:27 PM
So it will be very interesting to see who will be sending the first
suborbital tourists. My bet goes on SpaceDev/Benson (but only my
personal feeling).
For me Rocketplane has the best looking vehicle though.
Huh??? It will be Virgin Galatic with Spaceship 2

Spaceship2 is how I see it too ... anyone else have a space flight demonstrated prototype?

There is an article in Wall Street Journal (I have to admit not a magazine I am reading often) about Rutan and Benson. According to this article Benson wants to send the first suborbital tourists in December 2008. So it could be an exciting race.

Stefan

stefan1138 · « **Reply #14 on:** 02/15/2007 08:08 pm »

Meanwhile found an article on Rocketplane and possible flights from Hawaii:

http://www.azcentral.com/business/articles/0213SpaceHawaii13-ON.html

Stefan

gladiator1332 · « **Reply #15 on:** 02/17/2007 02:24 am »

I'm glad we are seeing winged vehicles when it comes to these first commercial spacecraft. The capsule is perfect NASA's current objectives, but I would hate to see space planes go extinct. It is also interesting that all three are using similar characteristics to previous missions. Dreamchaser is heavily based off the Shuttle and previous lifting body designs. SpaceShipTwo of course is based upon SS1, however, it is very similar to the X-15 flights, as it utilizes a mothership to carry it to altitude. Rocketplane XP is what the X-15 could have been if it was developed into more advanced versions. Eventually they would have gotten rid of the need for a mothership.
I see Rutan being first with SS2, followed by Rocketplane XP, and in third would be Dreamchaser. Rutan has already proven he can be first with SS1 and I feel that Rocketplane and SpaceDev are probably at a similar point in development, so that one is a tossup. I like the Rocketplane XP the best, so I'll put that one in second.

publiusr · « **Reply #16 on:** 02/18/2007 06:51 pm »

I would actually flip that ranking, putting Dream Chaser first--in that the booster rockets on their own might sell as small LVs on their own.

GF3 · « **Reply #17 on:** 02/23/2007 04:27 pm »

GO Rocketplane. Glad to see such good responses to our vehicle

gladiator1332 · « **Reply #18 on:** 03/04/2007 12:14 am »

Quote

GF3 - 23/2/2007 12:27 PM

GO Rocketplane. Glad to see such good responses to our vehicle

It really is a beautiful vehicle. And I love the idea of the business jet derived design. I'm in college right now and in flight training, and I hope to get a job as a corporate pilot when out of school, so I simply love biz-jets....it is great to see one being used a basis for a spacecraft.

GF3, are you allowed to share any progress and any other info on the XP with us?

GF3 · « **Reply #19 on:** 03/05/2007 04:12 pm »

Quote

gladiator1332 - 3/3/2007 7:14 PM

Quote
GF3 - 23/2/2007 12:27 PM

GO Rocketplane. Glad to see such good responses to our vehicle

It really is a beautiful vehicle. And I love the idea of the business jet derived design. I'm in college right now and in flight training, and I hope to get a job as a corporate pilot when out of school, so I simply love biz-jets....it is great to see one being used a basis for a spacecraft.

GF3, are you allowed to share any progress and any other info on the XP with us?

Well as long as everything stays on schedule we will be on schedule. Everything is going smoothly and we are looking forward to flying in the near future..