Rocketplane XP
Encyclopedia
The Rocketplane XP is a former suborbital spaceplane
design that was under development circa 2005 by Rocketplane Kistler
. The vehicle was to be powered by two jet engines and a rocket engine
, intended to enable it to reach suborbital space. The XP was being designed to operate from existing spaceports in a manner consistent with established commercial aviation practices. In 2007, the vice president of Rocketplane Kistler said that commercial flights would begin in 2009. Rocketplane Global
declared bankruptcy in mid-June 2010.
, like a conventional aircraft, and ascend to about 12 km (40,000 feet). At this point, a reusable rocket engine
powers the XP until it shuts off and the XP continues in free-fall
to altitudes of over 100 km (62.1 mi). The XP was to then reenter Earth’s atmosphere and land at the same spaceport under conventional jet power.
The XP was expected to operate from the Clinton-Sherman Industrial Airpark
near Burns Flat, Oklahoma
.
Johnson Space Center for the loan of a Rocketdyne
RS-88 rocket engine for three years, for use in flight tests of the XP vehicle.
.
Spaceplane
A spaceplane is a vehicle that operates as an aircraft in Earth's atmosphere, as well as a spacecraft when it is in space. It combines features of an aircraft and a spacecraft, which can be thought of as an aircraft that can endure and maneuver in the vacuum of space or likewise a spacecraft that...
design that was under development circa 2005 by Rocketplane Kistler
Rocketplane Kistler
Rocketplane Kistler was a reusable spacecraft firm originally based in Oklahoma before moving to Wisconsin. Formed in 2006 by Rocketplane Limited, Inc...
. The vehicle was to be powered by two jet engines and a rocket engine
Rocket engine
A rocket engine, or simply "rocket", is a jet engineRocket Propulsion Elements; 7th edition- chapter 1 that uses only propellant mass for forming its high speed propulsive jet. Rocket engines are reaction engines and obtain thrust in accordance with Newton's third law...
, intended to enable it to reach suborbital space. The XP was being designed to operate from existing spaceports in a manner consistent with established commercial aviation practices. In 2007, the vice president of Rocketplane Kistler said that commercial flights would begin in 2009. Rocketplane Global
Rocketplane Limited, Inc.
Rocketplane Limited, Inc. is a defunct aerospace design and development company headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, with facilities in Guthrie, Oklahoma and Burns Flat, Oklahoma.- History :...
declared bankruptcy in mid-June 2010.
Flight trajectory
The Rocketplane XP, carrying a pilot and five spaceflight participants (passengers), has a flight profile that would have taken off from a runway using a jet engineJet engine
A jet engine is a reaction engine that discharges a fast moving jet to generate thrust by jet propulsion and in accordance with Newton's laws of motion. This broad definition of jet engines includes turbojets, turbofans, rockets, ramjets, pulse jets...
, like a conventional aircraft, and ascend to about 12 km (40,000 feet). At this point, a reusable rocket engine
Rocket engine
A rocket engine, or simply "rocket", is a jet engineRocket Propulsion Elements; 7th edition- chapter 1 that uses only propellant mass for forming its high speed propulsive jet. Rocket engines are reaction engines and obtain thrust in accordance with Newton's third law...
powers the XP until it shuts off and the XP continues in free-fall
Free-fall
Free fall is any motion of a body where gravity is the only force acting upon it, at least initially. These conditions produce an inertial trajectory so long as gravity remains the only force. Since this definition does not specify velocity, it also applies to objects initially moving upward...
to altitudes of over 100 km (62.1 mi). The XP was to then reenter Earth’s atmosphere and land at the same spaceport under conventional jet power.
The XP was expected to operate from the Clinton-Sherman Industrial Airpark
Clinton-Sherman Industrial Airpark
The Clinton-Sherman Industrial Airpark, also known as the Oklahoma Spaceport is a newly authorized spaceport near Burns Flat, Oklahoma, in the western part of the state...
near Burns Flat, Oklahoma
Burns Flat, Oklahoma
Burns Flat is a town in Washita County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 2,057 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Burns Flat is located at ....
.
Loan of flight test engine
On January 24, 2006 Rocketplane Limited announced a Space Act agreement with NASANASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
Johnson Space Center for the loan of a Rocketdyne
Rocketdyne
Rocketdyne was a Rocket engine design and production company headquartered in Canoga Park, California, United States. The company was related to North American Aviation for most of its history. NAA merged with Rockwell International, which was then bought by Boeing in December, 1996...
RS-88 rocket engine for three years, for use in flight tests of the XP vehicle.
New configuration
Rocketplane CEO George French Sr told NASA SpaceFlight that the company is working on a new Rocketplane XP configuration. He said the new configuration would be announced at the X Prize CupX PRIZE Cup
The X Prize Cup is a two-day Air & Space Expo which was the result of a partnership between the X Prize Foundation and the State of New Mexico that began in 2004 when the Ansari X-Prize was held. This led to plans to build the world's first true rocket festival. Three X-PRIZE Cups have been held:...
.