Gizmodo
A two-seater spaceship smaller than a private jet that will take people up for a 25-minute space flight, is being launched in Mojave today. According to the Lynx Mark 1's makers, Xcor Aerospace, the spacecraft is expected to be at the test-flight stage by 2010. The two-seater craft has room for one passenger besides the pilot and will be, I guess, one way for a wealthy passenger to discover just how lonely it is 38 miles above the earth. More info, plus an animated video, below.
"Our company's goal has always been to build rocket-powered vehicles that can be flown and operated like regular aircraft," says Xcor Aerospace president Jeffrey Greason, who claims that Lynx is relatively environmentally friendly: "They are fully reusable, burn cleanly, and release fewer particulates than solid fuel or hybrid rocket motors," he claims.
Unlike the space shuttle, which shuts off its engine and glides into land, the Lynx will have the ability to fire up its engines and re-attempt landing in the event of a borked descent. Fifty test flights have been scheduled, starting in 2010, and, once fully operational, the spacecraft is expected to make several flights per day.
The company will not be selling tickets directly but, rather, will be licensing flight sales to space-adventure tourism companies. There are already plans afoot for the Lynx Mark 2, which will allow space-heads to be in orbit for longer. Funding for the project comes from the Air Vehicles Directorate of the US Air Force Research Laboratory, as well as additional sources—as yet, un-named. [New Scientist]
Comments
But is there room to screw? If I'm going to shell out $1 million for a space flight, I sure want to make sure I join the 38-mile high club.
Since it's only a two-seater, I sure hope all the pilots aren't male.
thats gay you still have to wear space helmets when you go up in ont of these things.
@kevman90: Are you serious? I bet most of the millionaires would pay extra for that.
@Darrone: Especially if they get to keep the helmet after the trip!
Looks like the Air Forces's Dynasoar from the mid 60's.
"Damn it, we ran out of room on the design paper. Oooh -- I got it! Let's have it do a corkscrew shape all the way back to Earth. That'll be FUN!"
With the two live-action guys in the beginning of the movie, I was reminded of Jedi Knight and Rebel Assault 2. Good times.
Isnt this what the space shuttle should have evolved into? You know, a reusable single stage to orbit craft? I mean, this thing doesnt get to the ISS and back, but surely with a fair bit of modification It could, right?
what is up with the frame and glass windows that dissapeared with the bombers of WW2? I'm betting design revision coming up soon.
no. no. no. we want orbital - not sub-orbital. We need an 'X-squared' prize for trip around the earth a la Sputnik. Get that re-entry stuff figured out.. C'mon - now. now. now.
Do a barrell roll!
@designguybrown: That sounds like the billionaire bragging rights of the future.
"Muffy and I went sub-orbital last weekend."
"Sub orbital? Oh come now, James. That is so 2008. You simply must try a complete orbit some time."
"I suppose, but Muffy simply wasn't up to it."
@Spaceboy:
I have to assume that the designers are looking to maximize the view for the 1 passenger who is paying for the trip. However the squared off B-24 Liberator looking cockpit "glass" (I have to assume it would eventually be made from some space age polymer) and framing is a bit dated looking, and I have to assume they could make it from something else and still have a great view.
Can't even reach low Earth orbit so what's the point?
Sims in space!
You couldn't pay me to go up in that thing. Looks like it was designed by the kids from Top Gear.
+ Watch video
Exactly. Why didn't they make one of these before? It's not like the Shuttle flies (or COULD fly) to the moon. It's restricted to sub-orbital space too, so why in all this time didn't they create a Colonial Viper like this?
Oops. Sorry. Linked to the Russian language version accidentally.
+ Watch video
looks like they stole the ride design from space mountain. Disney should sue
@DangerousDac:
John Mayer here.
There's a big difference between hauling a single passenger 38 miles into the sky and hauling heavy equipment over 200 miles into the sky. That's why they need those big ass fuel tanks on the shuttle.
I worked with a company whose owner was trying to develop one of these [www.rocketplane.com] . Got to look at the plans... and yes, it IS basically a learjet with a rocket strapped to it. Erfing crazy.
I saw a pair of shoes in Firenza similar to this (Without the canards)...
@darex: Well I'm not up on the exact definition of sub-orbital but I dont think it applies to the shuttle since it actually goes into orbit. Doesn't sub-orbital mean that you will fall back to earth before completing an orbit? The shuttle would really suck if it did that.
@jetexas: True but in half an hour that better be a quickie that you're having and you better start at take off. That'd be hot. Millionares will probably start having sex on these things when they last more than 30minutes. It'll be easier what would be better would be if they had one for 12hours so you could go at it sleep go at it again and sleep and wake up as you're descending. =] now thats something i'd be willing to pay a million or more for.
A million bucks! Just better hope the viagra kicks in on time.
And the design needs to be modified a bit...Single seat cockpit up front. 7 foot tube with a bed in the back. (just like one of those Japanese business hotels). In other words two cockpits...one for the pilot and one for the millionaire... and his "wife"..wink, wink.
Umm, 38 miles altitude does not equal SPACE. You are still in the atmosphere.
Space begins where our atmosphere ends. That is at 62 miles (100km) of altitude. Space Ship One (and presumably Space Ship Two) can reach this altitude.
It looks like a Reliant Robin for space.
Ask Jeremy Clarkson
[www.bbc.co.uk]
I think the Rocket Racers will eventually switch to this, and the track will be vertical.
@SgtBeavis: Ditto.
61 KM is not the international space boundary of 100 KM. (I think)
Then again it's provably safer with all the crap that is floating out there!...
One day things like this will be common... but I'm worried it will be very dangerous with all the junk floating out there... Someone should start cleaning it up. (mainly all space faring countries up to date).
Otherwise the conquest of space will only happen if you are lucky to get through the pile of junk floating out there and don't die of a massive explosion when hit.
@SgtBeavis:
Actually, the atmosphere doesn't 'end'. It just slowly thins out. The ISS experiences considerable atmospheric drag. One of the big jobs they do every time something docks docks is to boost it back into a higher orbit. It's not actually very long-term stable and loses a few kms of height every month.
The whole 100km = space thing is just an agreed on number because they had to pick somewhere and 100 looks nice.
I think I'm still backing Virgin Galactic and Scaled Composites.
Rutan!
so THIS is what they've been up to. I was dicking around the Mojave Spaceport a few years ago and I saw their vari-EZ blast by, at precariously awesome speeds, using rocket propulsion! I knew they were working on their engine systems for commercial use, but I always thought hmm, what about YOUR use, and then I thought about their competition, and how scaled composites is a stones throw away from them so it's no wonder this has been kept under wraps
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