XCOR and Space Adventures Announce New Suborbital Spacecraft
XCOR Aerospace and Space
Adventures, Ltd., announced today a marketing agreement that enables Space
Adventures to offer the first 600 flights to 62 miles (100 km) altitude
aboard XCOR1s Xerus (pronunciation: zEr’us) sub-orbital vehicle, designed
specifically for space tourist flights.
“Our experience building and flying the EZ-Rocket airplane has shown that we
can fly rocket-powered vehicles multiple times per day with a small ground
crew,” said XCOR CEO Jeff Greason. “By developing rocket engines that have
essentially gas-and-go operation, we can operate at a fraction of the cost
of competitive vehicles.”
The Xerus vehicle project has begun preliminary design including development
of XCOR’s next-generation rocket engine and propulsion system using
non-toxic propellants. The Xerus will be capable of flying one pilot and one
Space Adventures paying passenger on a one-hour sub-orbital space flight. At
the peak of its parabolic trajectory, passengers will experience several
minutes of weightlessness and see the Earth from space.
“XCOR’s recent successes with the EZ-Rocket has demonstrated their
determination to push the envelope,” said Space Adventures President and CEO
Eric Anderson. “We look forward to offering our clients the opportunity to
fly aboard the Xerus.”
“It1s a good division of labor between the companies,” continued Greason.
“XCOR, experienced at building flight hardware, can focus on completing the
vehicle, while Space Adventures will handle all other aspects including
booking and training passengers.”
According to a recent study commissioned by Space Adventures, the
sub-orbital space tourist market could generate revenues of over $1 billion
annually. Space Adventures has over 100 sub-orbital reservations and is
currently accepting bookings for sub-orbital flights at $98,000.
Completion of the Xerus is conditional to securing financing. Assuming full
funding, XCOR expects that it will take eighteen months to begin flight
tests and three years before entering revenue service.
Imagery and animation of the Xerus in flight are available upon request.
About XCOR
XCOR Aerospace is a California corporation located in Mojave, California.
The company is in the business of developing and producing safe, reliable
and re-usable rocket engines and rocket powered vehicles.
About Space Adventures, Ltd.
Space Adventures, Ltd., offers a wide range of space experiences, from
zero-gravity and high-altitude supersonic flights, cosmonaut training and
space flight qualification programs, to actual flights into space. For more
information, call 1-888-85-SPACE or visit www.spaceadventures.com
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CONTACT:
SPACE ADVENTURES
Tereza Predescu
Phone: + 1-703-524-7172
XCOR
Wayne Hammack
Phone + 1-303-469-7479
