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SpaceDev makes hybrid rocket motors, including those used in SpaceShipOne.<br /><br />Benson Space Co. was founded by former SpaceDev chief Jim Benson as a Virgin Galactic style space-liner service. <br /><br />Robert "Hoot" Gibson was an astronaut with 5 shuttle missions, including the first flight to MIR. After leaving NASA he served as a Southwest Airlines pilot until his retirement this year. He was also part of the Challenger investigation.<br /><br />http://www.spacefellowship.com/News/?p=1751<br /><br />http://www.bensonspace.com/<br /><br /><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>SpaceDev Awarded Study Contract for Dream Chaser™ Spaceship<br /><br />December 19th, 2006<br /><br />SpaceDev has been awarded a $330,000 Phase I study contract from Benson Space Company to further the SpaceDev Dream Chaser spaceship program. The study will contribute to the on-going development of the spaceship and will result in space vehicle and rocket motor designs ready for Phase II vehicle fabrication and testing. The SpaceDev Dream Chaser™ spaceship is based on NASA’s design of the ten passenger orbital HL-20 Personnel Launch System, and will launch vertically and land horizontally in direct sight of viewers.<br /><br />“We look forward to undertaking this exciting project with Jim, and to completing this first-phase study contract in March 2007,” offered Mark N. Sirangelo, Chairman and CEO of SpaceDev. “We are confident that we can assist Jim Benson and Benson Space Company in his quest to take civilians to space, and we are proud to provide the technical know-how and products to help make that a reality.”<br /><br />“It’s official – we’ve entered the commercial race to space and have begun our countdown to what I expect will be Benson Space Company’s first suborbital flights by the end of 2008,” said Jim Benson, who until recently served as Cha</p></blockquote> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>