[extropy-chat] June 2004 SpaceDev Newsletter

[Natasha Vita-More]

This has already been mentioned on this list, but I thought it might have 
something worth reading.
This press release from John Spencer (on ExI's advisory team).  John is a 
space architect and long-time space enthusiast.  His organization is Space 
Tourism, Inc.  You can read more about John 
here:  http://www.theargonauts.com/columns/brookmantia/070100_spencer.shtml


On June 21st SpaceDev's Hybrid Rocket Motor Technology Will Help Create the 
World's First Private Sector Astronaut!

>On June 21st SpaceShipOne’s fourth powered flight is scheduled to write a 
>new page in the history books.  Years of planning, hard work and hope will 
>be riding with the Scaled Composite test pilot as he attempts to fly 
>higher and faster than any privately funded aviation program has ever flown.
>
>  NASA, the Air Force and other organizations recognize that space begins 
> at 50 miles, and award astronaut status to those achieving the 50 mile 
> altitude.  If the June 21st flight meets the expected altitude of 100km 
> (62.5 miles), the flight will create the world’s first private sector 
> astronaut.
>
>In 1999 Jim Benson and the SpaceDev propulsion team began working with 
>Burt Rutan and his team of engineers at Scaled Composites to create safe, 
>inexpensive, private sector human space flight.  Only a year after 
>contracting with Scaled, SpaceDev successfully tested the world’s largest 
>nitrous oxide-based hybrid rocket motor.  The motor burns rubber (HTPB) 
>and laughing gas (N2O).
>
>  The SpaceShipOne rocket motor is a cooperative design executed by the 
> highly skilled engineers at SpaceDev and Scaled Composites.  SpaceDev 
> supplied the rocket science and most key components. Scaled Composites 
> designed the main concept, two large composite structures: the oxidizer 
> tank and composite Case-Throat-Nozzle (CTN).  This close team effort 
> since 1999 has been a key to the successful development of the unique, 
> record-setting hybrid motor for the historic, manned SpaceShipOne.
>
>  As they have on all previous powered flights, the SpaceDev propulsion 
> team will be on-site on June 21st at the Mojave, CA airport with the 
> Scaled team to provide critical ground, flight, and post-flight support 
> services.  Jim Benson, SpaceDev founding chairman and chief executive 
> officer who will attend the historic flight commented “This is a 
> tremendously exciting time for everyone who has dreamed and worked to 
> bring low-cost human space flight closer to reality.  We are honored to 
> be part of the team that will achieve this goal.”
>
>NASA Centennial Challenges
>
>Jim Benson has been invited to make a presentation about the SpaceDev 
>StreakerÔ, a hybrid-based small launch vehicle, at the June 15 – 16 NASA 
>Centennial Challenges Workshop in Washington, DC.  The panel is titled 
>“Launch Vehicles for Spacecraft Prize Competitions.” The SpaceDev 
>StreakerÔ is being developed under contract with the Air Force Research 
>Laboratory.  The SpaceDev StreakerÔ is designed to put up to 1,000 pounds 
>into low earth orbit, at an estimated price of $5 million.  The SpaceDev 
>StreakerÔ will use a variation of the SpaceShipOne motor as the upper 
>stage, and for the orbit insertion stage, SpaceDev will use a variation of 
>the “space tug” motor SpaceDev is developing for the Air Force Research 
>Laboratory under a different contract.
>
>About SpaceDev
>
>SpaceDev (OTCBB: SPDV) creates and sells affordable and innovative space 
>products and solutions to government and commercial enterprises.  Upon 
>founding SpaceDev in 1996, Jim Benson started the trend of successful 
>computer entrepreneurs moving into the space development arena.  For more 
>information, visit 
><http://echo.bluehornet.com/ct/ct.php?t=591020&c=329360500&m=m&type=1>www.spacedev.com.
>
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