State Of New Mexico Also Involved In Project
Space took a giant leap closer to Earth Friday, following the
launch of a new joint venture between Rocket Racing, Inc. (RRI),
Armadillo Aerospace and the government of New Mexico.
With a goal of sending adventurers into suborbital space with a
target price of $100,000 per ticket or less, the three companies
unveiled plans to field a fleet of reusable Vertical Take-Off and
Landing (VTOL) vehicles (RLV) that will take flight from Spaceport
America near Las Cruces, NM.
Each ship is slated to provide a cabin where passengers can
float weightless with a 360-degree view of space. To date, other
companies in the commercial space industry have promised rides to
similar altitudes featuring small porthole-sized views for more
than $200,000.
"I am honored that Rocket Racing, Inc. and Armadillo Aerospace
have chosen New Mexico to set up shop," said Governor Bill
Richardson. "Spaceport America and the State of New Mexico are
proud partners and together we are writing the next chapter of
space transportation."
Under the terms of the partnership, Armadillo Aerospace will
develop the reusable launch vehicles and provide ground support and
equipment. The State of New Mexico will supply launch facility
infrastructure and resources.
Rocket Racing Technology Development, a wholly owned subsidiary
of Rocket Racing Inc., will provide financing for, and business and
operational management of, the partnership. Reservations,
experience marketing, customer training and the coordination of the
passengers' overall experience will be managed exclusively by a
third partner company that will be announced when marketing efforts
begin.
"The price of space is coming down to earth," said Granger
Whitelaw, CEO of Rocket Racing, Inc. "And thanks to Armadillo's
ships and New Mexico's spaceport, human beings will be treated to
the most stellar views in the galaxy."
While the venture owes its wings to technologies that have spent
decades in development, its launch is made possible only through
their recent combination. Armadillo's eight years of research and
development on a dozen different flying vehicles is contributing
engines, software, and operational capabilities. Meanwhile, the
company's ground and flight test programs for the Rocket Racing
League over the past year has resulted in flight research data that
will be applied to allow for superior vehicle tracking and
passenger safety.
Beyond suborbital space tourism, Rocket Racing Inc. also plans
to deploy its vehicles to serve in a variety of payload transport
initiatives. Target missions include micro-gravity experiments,
astrophysics observations, reconnaissance and high-altitude
scientific and meteorological measurements.
The companies plan to fly evolutions of existing vehicles to
space and fabricate an initial manned vehicle prototype in 2009 and
perform initial manned flights to space in 2010.
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