It....won't....DIE!!

[docm]

Where's a g*d**med NUKE when you need one? <img src="/images/icons/mad.gif" /><br /><br /><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p><b>Rocketplane still on track for launch</b><br /><br />by Kelley Chambers<br /><br />The Journal Record December 26, 2007<br /><br /><b><font color="yellow">OKLAHOMA CITY – Rocketplane Global Inc. has seen more downs than ups since its inception six years ago, but the company is still slated to eventually send people into space. The project, at the Oklahoma Spaceport at the Clinton-Sherman Air Force Base in Burns Flat, has received support from the state of Oklahoma as well as NASA, although as of yet the company has not sent a reusable vehicle into space on flights more than 60 miles above Earth..<br /><br />Rocketplane is currently shooting for a launch in 2010.</font></b><br /><br />Founded in 2001, the project touted the ability to eventually send civilian travelers into space on suborbital flights for those willing to pay a price nearing several hundred thousand dollars for a trip. Rocketplane opened its Oklahoma City office in 2004. The company is led by CEO George French.<br />Subsequent tax credits by the Oklahoma Tax Commission is 2004 amounted to $18 million in transferable credits. In addition NASA committed to more than $200 million with several strings attached.<br /><br />So far, Rocketplane has not lived up to its requirements set forth by NASA. In addition, the company sold its state tax credits in an effort to fund its suborbital spacecraft. Financial problems have also led to cutbacks and layoffs at the company.<br /><br />Nevertheless, private spaceflight efforts across the board got a shot in the arm in 2004 when a privately funded project won the $10 million X Ansari competition to send suborbital spacecraft into flight.<br />But despite setbacks, the company recently rolled out major engineering changes to its Rocketplane XP suborbital vehicle. David Faulkner, the program manager, leads the development o</p></blockquote> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[j05h]

Keith Cowing has a post on nasawatch about "which" Rocketplane a newspaper article refers to - whether it is Rocketplane Global or RpK or what. The truth is that these are all interrelated and, like the Hydra of myth, if one head dies two more grow in it's place. Maybe it's an undead Hydra, since we've been talking about how Rocketplane keeps rising from the grave. <br /><br />These guys must have some REALLY good connections to keep getting our tax money. <br /><br />Josh <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div align="center"><em>We need a first generation of pioneers.</em><br /></div> </div>

 

[spacy600]

I have not read this article yet but:<br />http://hobbyspace.com/nucleus/?itemid=5126<br /><br />It says RpK will not sue NASA over COTS dispute

 

[docm]

Thank God for small favors. Now all we need is for the GAO to grow a brain, and that's been overdue for 40 years <img src="/images/icons/tongue.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[richalex]

Rocketplane Global Inc. showed no sign of dying back in October, when VP/Director of Flight Systems John Herrington (former NASA astronaut) and Program Manager Dave Faulkner presented the new Rocketplane design at a press conference held at the X Prize Air & Space Expo. I still have a few photos online from the press conference (along with other photos from the Expo). <br /><br />2007 X Prize Cup - October 26 - 27

 

[qso1]

I for one hope they don't die but in case nobody has noticed...it's taking time to get one of these commercial human spaceflight systems operational. It takes a company with a lot of investment capital to be able to weather a decade of no profits as Rocketplane will have done by 2010 assuming they are not profiting from other ventures. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong>My borrowed quote for the time being:</strong></p><p><em>There are three kinds of people in life. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen...and those who do not know what happened.</em></p> </div>