The Lynx technology development has advanced to the point
that there is sufficient confidence in the system been built to enter into a
first service delivery contract.
Note the rapid turn around built into the design. This bird is truly airworthy.
Note earlier posts on the engine tests last year. Google XCOR for these posts.
These guys are developing suborbital capabilities not
presently available and necessary for a fly into space technology package which
is today much closer.
Southwest Research
Institute and XCOR Sign First Ever Commercial Reusable Suborbital Vehicle
Scientific Flight Contract
February 24th, 2011, Mojave,
CA, USA: In a first for the reusable suborbital launch
vehicle industry, XCOR Aerospace announced today that the Southwest Research
Institute (SwRI), a commercial entity, has purchased six suborbital flights to
carry SwRI experiments as pathfinder missions for other SwRI suborbital
clients. This is the first such contract SwRI has issued, and XCOR
is proud to be chosen for this opportunity.
"When someone
issues a commercial contract with their own money, this means something,"
said XCOR Chief Operating Officer Andrew Nelson. "XCOR feels SwRI signing
their first contract with us demonstrates the superiority of the Lynx platform
over others in the field. We have the ability to fly up to four
times a day, quickly perform an experiment and then return it to the
customer. In addition, we offer the best price in class versus the
competition."
Each of the six
flights will include a SwRI trained principal investigator / payload
specialist. This group of talented individuals includes Dr.
Alan Stern, former NASA Associate Administrator for Science, Dr. Dan Durda, who
has campaigned in F-18s and Dr. Cathy Olkin, an experienced SwRI researcher. On
these flights, the SwRI principal investigators will perform research
using biomedical, microgravity, and astronomy imaging experiments conceived and
prepared for flight at SwRI. SwRI has an option to purchase three additional
flights at any time, providing more value for the money spent and greater
flexibility for experimental research.
"These are
exciting times for the suborbital research field," said Dr. Stern.
"XCOR and SwRI are blazing new trails with this engagement and setting the
stage for others to follow with their experiments."
The capabilities of
the Lynx, in particular its responsiveness and low cost of operation provide
SwRI and other clients with an unprecedented ability for quick turnaround of
key experiments or precious and sensitive samples. Lynx operations will allow
customer experiments to go from a runway-side storage facility to the vehicle,
then fly to space on a customized flight trajectory and back to an airport-side
laboratory in under 30 minutes. The Lynx offers a level of sample
security and assurance not found in other suborbital systems today, while the
cost of a Lynx operation is an order of magnitude less than traditional
systems.
The Lynx suborbital
vehicle is also a robust data collection system with four distinct
payload carrying opportunities as either primary or secondary payloads, with
locations within the pressurized Lynx cabin or externally exposed to the vacuum
of space and the thin air of the upper atmosphere. Payload mass can
range from under 1 kg to over 650 kg.
"SwRI is a
recognized leader in the field," said Jeff Greason, XCOR Chief
Executive Officer. "They are one of the best research firms in the world
for space science and engineering, and their researchers have a phenomenal
ability to explore innovative concepts. I look forward to the pioneering work
this partnership will achieve."
# # # # # #
XCOR Aerospace is
a California corporation located in Mojave, California
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