Posted: Oct 04, 2006 09:11 am EST
On last year's XPrize Cup; rockets either blew up, tippered, or hovered for a few seconds before falling over. "Unexpected," sighed the X Prize organizers - until XCOR Aerospace, at last, took off.

The crew behind XCOR - a proven team of aerospace engineers and technicians - say their big advantage is that much of their experience was gained outside of traditional aerospace; bringing fresh perspectives and practical business experience.

From high performance automobiles to home-built aircraft

XCOR's chief engineer spent his early career in underwater systems, where he was lead or chief engineer on prototype commercial underwater vehicles as well as several "deep black" projects. The president spent 10 years in a Silicon Valley-style development hot-house. "We have experience maintaining high performance automobiles as well as fabricating home-built aircraft," the guys report on their website.

Founded late 1999, in Mojave, California, XCOR is the brain behind the EZ-Rocket - a modified Long-EZ homebuilt aircraft. Powered by twin 400 lb thrust regeneratively cooled rocket engines and fueled by isopropyl alcohol and liquid oxygen, the EZ-Rocket includes an external composite fuel tank and an insulated internal aluminum liquid oxygen tank, with Maximum altitude at 1.91 miles (10,000 ft).

Rocket powered airplane long distance world record

Test pilot Dick Rutan, was honored by the National Aeronautic Association (NAA) for completing the long distance world record for any ground-launched Rocket-Powered Airplane last year. XCOR chase plane pilot Mike Melvill (SpaceShipOne) has also flown the EZ-Rocket. The plane/rocket requires a really steep climb and dead-stick landing. Mike's first words after shutting the engines down were "That was a real kick in the pants!"

The airplane flies just like any other Long-EZ. The pilot does not need to learn to fly the plane at the same time as controlling the rocket propulsion systems; and the rocketplane seems surpisingly safe. "Most rocket engine explosions happen because of what is known as a hard start. This happens when main propellants collect in the combustion chamber and are belatedly ignited. We prevent this by interlocking the main valves with an igniter operation sensor. The only time an XCOR engines comes apart is when we put our wrenches on it." The pilot also has a parachute and the canopy is reportedly quick to open.

Xerus

The EZ-Rocket is however only a test bed for XCOR's goal: Profitable transportation to Earth orbit. The next step is a suborbital vehicle, the Xerus.

XCOR hopes to reach three markets with Xerus: Suborbital payloads, space tourism, and microsatellite delivery. As for the personal space rides, XCOR writes: "Currently a ride to orbit costs about $20 million dollars. The next best thing is a trip in a jet fighter aircraft, which is selling for about $15,000. Our suborbital vehicle will provide a high-energy ride that will take a passenger nearly to orbital altitudes, though not orbital velocity.

This is an 'Alan Shepard ride:' a quick and exhilarating boost up to about 100 km altitude with about three minutes of zero gravity while the delighted tourist gets a great view of the Earth surrounded by a black sky filled with stars."

XCOR is another exciting 2006 XPrize-Cup competitor. Contacted to design and build the first generation of X-Racers (racing with rocket powered aircrafts), the XCOR Mark 1 X-Racer - which has achieved all major milestones including static test firings to 100% thrust on the engine, airframe integration and avionics equipment - will fly in 2007. Full time reserve F-16 pilot Korey "Axe" Amundson has been hired by the Rocket Racing League as the first team pilot.

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