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U. S. Department of Transportation Federal Administration

The U.S. Commercial Suborbital Industry:

A Renaissance in the Making HQ-111460.INDD

About the Office of Commercial Space Transportation The Federal Aviation Administration’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation (FAA/AST) licenses and regulates U.S. commercial and reentry activity, as well as the operation of non-federal launch and reentry sites, as authorized by Executive Order 12465 and Title 51 Code, Subtitle V, Chapter 509 (formerly the Commercial Space Launch Act). FAA/AST’s mission is to ensure public health and safety and the safety of property while protecting the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States during commercial launch and reentry operations. In addition, FAA/AST is directed to encourage, facilitate, and promote commercial space launches and reentries. Additional information concerning commercial space transportation can be found on FAA/AST’s website at http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/.

NOTICE Use of trade names or names of manufacturers in this document does not constitute an official endorsement of such products or manufacturers, either expressed or implied, by the Federal Aviation Administration.

Cover art courtesy Phil Smith.

U.S. Commercial Suborbital and • Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Introduction ...... 2 Reusable Suborbital Launch Service Providers . . . . 4 Armadillo ...... 6 ...... 8 ...... 10 UP Aerospace ...... 12 ...... 14 XCOR Aerospace ...... 16 Testing...... 18 Systems Under Development ...... 20 Launch Sites...... 22 and Cecil Field Spaceport. . . . . 24 Mojave Air and Space Port ...... 26 Oklahoma Air and Space Port...... 28 ...... 30 Funding...... 32 U.S. Commercial Suborbital Industry Markets...... 36 Conclusion...... 39

• 1 • Federal Aviation Administration / Commercial Space Transportation

Introduction

This publication presents an overview of the in 2004. It motivated 26 teams to spend over current emerging U.S. commercial reusable $100M to win the prize. Mojave Aerospace suborbital industry and Federal Ventures’ victory showed investors and Aviation Administration (FAA) licensed consumers that private suborbital flight was commercial spaceports launching suborbital possible. . It also includes a summary of the The focus of innovation in the industry has markets composing the commercial reusable become not only how to reach space, but how suborbital spaceflight industry and the types of to do so dependably and safely, at an attractive funding service providers and manufacturers price for customers. To be successful, these receive. The publication also serves as a primer companies must re-imagine spaceflight design, for an upcoming suborbital market forecast manufacturing, and operations. that the FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST) will introduce as part of The Vehicles its annual Commercial Space Transportation Vehicles that access , operate within Forecasts, published in the spring. the , return safely to , FAA’s Role in Commercial Reusable and can be used again are called RLVs. SRLVs Suborbital Spaceflight are those that do not attain enough velocity to enter into a sustainable around the Earth– AST was established in 1984 and transferred to they may enter space for a brief period (about the FAA in 1995. The office issues licenses and five minutes) and reenter, but all are designed permits for commercial launches of orbital and to be reused. The suborbital service providers suborbital vehicles. Since 1989, FAA/AST has in this publication aim to reach or surpass the licensed over 200 launch and reentry activities, altitude of 100 kilometers (62 miles). and since 1996, FAA/AST has issued site operator licenses for eight non-federal launch Current concepts for suborbital vehicles either sites, or commercial spaceports. launch vertically like a traditional launch , at a high altitude from a carrier craft, or The Industry horizontally take off under power from This report profiles six companies that have a . The vehicles then either use made significant in development of or to assist vertically, or they suborbital reusable launch vehicles (SRLVs). use to land like a or conventional A number of these companies are conducting . or planning operational in the few The Market years. The report also highlights vehicles that are under development. RLV companies seek to offer inexpensive, frequent access to space for spaceflight The surge in development of suborbital participants and . To date, most of vehicles is largely credited to the $10M Ansari the money invested in the companies comes X PRIZE. The prize was won by Mojave from private investors. However, the National Aerospace Ventures, using a vehicle operated Aeronautics and Space Administration by called SpaceShipOne,

• 2 • U.S. Commercial Suborbital Vehicles and Spaceports • Introduction

(NASA), the Department of Defense (DoD), in wet lease agreements. SRLVs offer some and the FAA have provided grants and awarded benefits over existing launch and research contracts to this bourgeoning industry. options for certain applications. Access to space on RLVs is anticipated to be less expensive There is still significant uncertainty as to how per unit mass launched–possibly an order of suborbital markets will develop and mature. magnitude less expensive–than orbital launch Deposits by spaceflight participants and alternatives. The extent of growth and interest purchases of launches signals early market in the suborbital market will be examined interest. Thus far, Virgin Galactic has received in detail in the 10-year suborbital forecast, over $55M in deposits from almost 440 scheduled for release in Spring 2012. customers, and XCOR has announced $40M

• 3 • Federal Aviation Administration / Commercial Space Transportation

Reusable SUBorbital Launch Service Providers

To perform suborbital launches the service Currently, there are no crew-capable suborbital providers or their affiliated companies develop, or orbital RLVs in operation. However, test, manufacture, and launch SRLVs. several companies have completed significant milestones in crewed SRLV development. The An RLV is a designed to return six U.S. suborbital launch service providers to Earth substantially intact and therefore profiled in this report, , may be launched more than one time. The Blue Origin, Masten Space Systems, UP system may also contain recoverable vehicle Aerospace, Virgin Galactic, and XCOR stages that can be recovered by a launch Aerospace, have made the most progress in operator for future use in the operation of the design, development, and testing of their a substantially similar launch vehicle. Some respective vehicles. One has been conducting RLVs are designed for suborbital trajectories; flights since 2006. Some of them are flight- that is, they do not attain enough velocity testing hardware and conduct experimental to enter into a sustainable orbit around launches, while others will enter the the Earth. These launch vehicles may phase in the near future. Five companies plan use the horizontal and horizontal to conduct scheduled commercial suborbital landing (HTHL) flight profile, similar to launches in the 2012 to 2014 timeframe. conventional , or the vertical takeoff and vertical landing (VTVL) flight profile Launch vehicle and infrastructure testing that requires a . HTHL SRLVs is conducted under the oversight of and allow for better maneuverability while flying in consultation with FAA/AST. Operators in the and can use some existing of SRLVs must apply for and obtain an airport and military air base infrastructure. RLV Mission License, but may elect to obtain an Experimental Permit. Under an Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo vehicle and Experimental Permit, no property or human XCOR’s Lynx vehicle are HTHL vehicles. being may be carried for compensation Armadillo, Blue Origin, and Masten design or hire, and permitted launches are not VTVL vehicles. Blue Origin’s crew capsule eligible for indemnification. Permits are separates from the module and not transferable. returns to Earth via . UP Aerospace’s SpaceLoft vehicle launches vertically, but Under an RLV Mission License from returns to Earth via parachute. Virgin FAA/AST, revenue-generating launches Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo, XCOR’s Lynx, are allowed. Licensed launches are eligible Blue Origin’s , and Armadillo’s for government indemnification for third Hyperion are all designed to carry humans, party liability greater than the required while Masten Space and UP Aerospace have financial responsibility. Commercial Space no current plans to fly humans. Transportation Licenses are transferable.

• 4 • U.S. Commercial Suborbital Vehicles and Spaceports • Reusable Suborbital Launch Service Providers

Reusable suborbital launch service providers overview Company Main Vehicle Year of Test Flights Launches From # of Seats

Armadillo Spaceport Hyperion 2014 2 Aerospace America

Blue Origin New Shepard TBD West 3+

Masten Space Mojave Air and Xaero 2011 0 Systems Space Port

Spaceport UP Aerospace SpaceLoft 2006 0 America

Spaceport Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo 2010 8 America

XCOR Mojave Air and Lynx 2012 2 Aerospace Space Port

Photo credits: (From top to bottom) Armadillo Aerospace, Blue Origin, Masten Space Systems, UP Aerospace, Virgin Galactic, and XCOR Aerospace.

• 5 • Federal Aviation Administration / Commercial Space Transportation

Armadillo Aerospace

Approach Armadillo Aerospace follows a rapid build and test System SNAPSHOT cycle: building many different incremental designs Vehicle STIG, SOST (Hyperion) that can be continuously tested. “Build, test, fix then Owner/ Armadillo Aerospace test again.” Each vehicle design has common features, Operator such as a LOX-alcohol rocket and a VTVL Year of 2000 Founding flight profile. The company believes “in openness First Flight regarding both successes and failures.” 2002 (Pixel), 2014 (Hyperion) Test Suborbital vehicles capable of rmadillo Aerospace was founded in 2000, by reaching altitudes beyond 100 A km powered by LOX-alcohol (co-founder of id Software), and rocket and carrying is based in Heath, Texas. The company focuses Description of 25 kg (STIG B) and 200 kg (SOST/Hyperion). Vehicles on VTVL suborbital research and passenger equipped with cylindrical (STIG) flights. It has an extensive flight-testing program or spherical (SOST/Hyperion) tanks. for suborbital science and space vehicles, with over 200 test flights that span a dozen • Seats: 2 • Altitude: 100 km vehicles. Armadillo has performed work for • Mass: TBD NASA and the and has • Payload: 200kg flown vehicles at every event. Hyperion • Propulsion: LOX/alcohol Statistics • Operational flights: 2014 Armadillo has competed in several competitions, • Ticket price per seat: including the , Wirefly X PRIZE $102,000 • Ticket broker: Space Cup, and Northrop Lunar Landing X Adventures Challenge. In 2008, the company won $350K by completing Level One in the Lunar X Challenge and in 2009, won $500K by completing Level Two in the Northrop Grumman X Challenge. • 6 • U.S. Commercial Suborbital Vehicles and Spaceports • Reusable Suborbital Launch Service Providers

John Carmack

Carmack is a video game programmer and Founder of video game developer id Software. A self-taught aerospace engineer, he became interested in rocketry around 2000, founding Armadillo Aerospace the same year.

In 2010, Armadillo started work on its Super- The current STIG modification is STIG A-I MOD launch vehicle, a VTVL unmanned rocket. (tested in April 2011). STIG A-II and STIG B test This vehicle was submitted to NASA as a potential flights are planned during 2011. Tests of STIG suborbital vehicle for use as a SRLV under NASA’s III, STIG V, and STIG VII are in the pipeline, Flight Opportunities Program. including clustering of several STIG rockets. On August 9, 2011, NASA selected Armadillo Armadillo is also working on its reusable Suborbital Aerospace as one of seven companies to receive Space (SOST) vehicle, a four-tank funding under the Flight Opportunities Program configured system capable of carrying people. to provide Near-Space Flight Services. Armadillo SOST boilerplate test flights are planned for received a contract to integrate and fly 2011, with operations beginning between 2013 payloads on commercial suborbital reusable and 2014. The initial flight of Hyperion, a crewed platforms near the altitude of 100 kilometers version of SOST, is currently planned for 2014. (62 miles). For the seven companies, the combined total of the contracts is $10M. In April 2010, Armadillo Aerospace and announced a marketing agreement for In 2010, Armadillo introduced the reusable, development of a commercial suborbital rocket, to 38-centimeter (15-inch) diameter Tube vehicle, be marketed by Space Adventures. Both Armadillo also called STIG (Suborbital Transport Inertially and Space Adventures are jointly funding the Guided, pictured above), capable of reaching development effort. Suborbital flights will start beyond 100 kilometers (62 miles) depending at $102K, and Space Adventures currently has a on payload mass. STIG can be flown to these customer wait list of over 200 people. altitudes under an amateur classification or waiver, depending on the location. The vehicle uses a LOX-alcohol engine developed by Armadillo and is designed to be a low-cost, reusable option to the Super-MOD and its derivatives. STIG, which was tested in 2011, will fly out of Spaceport America.

Photo credits: Armadillo Aerospace (background and insets). • 7 • Federal Aviation Administration / Commercial Space Transportation

Blue origin

Approach The Latin motto of the company translates to System SNAPSHOT “Step-by-Step, Ferociously.” Blue Origin’s stated Vehicle Goddard, PM-2, New Shepard objective is to develop vehicles and Owner/ Blue Origin “to dramatically lower the cost and increase the Operator reliability of human access to space.” Blue Origin’s Year of 2000 Founding incremental development approach uses suborbital First Flight 2006 (Goddard), 2011 (PM-2), tests to understand and characterize its system and Test New Shepard flight test TBD retire development risks. Blue Origin’s approach is to New Shepard design is a be able to separate the capsule from the propulsion suborbital VTVL vehicle and is a testbed for further development module at any point to help ensure that the crew can of an orbital . It Description return safely to the ground. burns a mix of high-test peroxide (HTP) and RP-1 kerosene. The PM-2 is the most recent vehicle design being tested. Blue Origin is a privately funded aerospace company developed by .com Founder Jeff • Seats: 3+ • Altitude: 100 km Bezos in 2000. The company’s focus is on VTVL • Mass: TBD vehicle development. The company plans an initial • Payload: 3 crew, or focus on suborbital vehicles, followed by a move to New Shepard ~200 kg (internal) and Statistics 120 kg (external) orbital vehicles. Vehicle manufacturing is at Blue • Propulsion: 90% hydrogen Origin’s headquarters near , , with peroxide and RP kerosene flight-testing conducted at its West Texas launch site. • Operational flights: 2012 • Ticket price per seat: TBD Blue Origin is in the process of developing the New Shepard rocket-propelled vehicle, designed to fly multiple and provide frequent opportunities for researchers to fly scientific experiments into suborbital space and a microgravity

• 8 • U.S. Commercial Suborbital Vehicles and Spaceports • Reusable Suborbital Launch Service Providers

Jeff Bezos

Bezos is Founder of Amazon.com. He earned a degree in electrical and computer science from , working in finance after graduation. He founded Amazon in 1994, and set up Blue Origin in 2000.

environment. The company is also developing a Blue Origin reported two tests in 2011 of another large, liquid / suborbital vehicle called PM-2 (propulsion with a thrust of about 444,821 Newtons (100,000 module). This vehicle did not have a crew capsule; pounds of force). rather, it featured an aerodynamic close-out fairing. Blue Origin is working on a suborbital crew capsule In November 2006, the company successfully separately. The first PM-2 flight test was a successful flight tested its Goddard low-altitude VTVL “short hop mission.” The second flight ended after vehicle. Since 2006, the Goddard has had three the vehicle experienced flight instability and the successful test flights. Goddard represented a first system activated at Mach 1.2 and an step in Blue Origin’s overall New Shepard program, altitude of 13,716 meters (45,000 feet). aimed at launching three or more astronauts to altitudes above 100 kilometers (62 miles). The Blue Origin has stated that it may have opportunities New Shepard vehicle comprises a pressurized crew for remotely controlled research aboard the New capsule carrying experiments and astronauts and a Shepard vehicle. It has selected three unmanned lower section called a propulsion module. The crew research experiments from Purdue University, the capsule provides seats for three or more astronauts, University of Central , and Louisiana State or accommodations for up to about 200 kilograms University. (440 pounds) of payload, or a combination of proportionally smaller crew and payload. The suborbital vehicle will be fully reusable and capable of flying three or more astronauts to an altitude of over 100 kilometers (62 miles) for science research and adventure. The suborbital is currently undergoing integrated testing. The suborbital capsule will separate from the subscale booster before reentry, followed by parachute landing for recovery and reuse. Blue Origin’s Composite Crew Pressure Vessel Photo credits: Taylor Lasseigne (background), Blue Origin (above left), Andy Rodgers/AP (Bezos portrait), Blue Origin (lower right).

• 9 • FederalFederal AviationAviation AdministrationAdministration // CommercialCommercial SpaceSpace TransportationTransportation

Masten space systems

Approach Masten Space Systems develops and markets Masten Space Systems is focused on providing igniters and . The company also provides unmanned suborbital flights using off-the-shelf aerospace consulting services and develops technology to reduce costs and turnaround time. experimental launch vehicles. It is pursuing a The company cites operability, fast turnaround, reusable, VTVL suborbital vehicle system. and providing rapid prototyping flight hardware Masten is based at, and performs launches from, test beds as its core approach to suborbital launch Mojave Air and Space Port, . The vehicle development. company has a contract to launch from Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Spaceport, System SNAPSHOT operated by , and is also exploring Vehicle Xombie, Xoie, Xaero, Xogdor options for launches from polar sites. It has Owner/ Masten Space Systems conducted over 120 launches of its vehicles, Operator including the first in-air engine relight on a VTVL Year of 2004 Founding vehicle. Masten has been awarded contracts under 2006 (XA-0.1A), 2009 (Xombie), the NASA Commercial Reusable Suborbital First Flight 2009 (Xoie), 2011 (Xaero), 2012 Test Research (CRuSR) and Flight Opportunities (Xogdor) programs in 2010 and 2011, respectively. Regeneratively cooled non- toxic bipropellant fully reusable VTVL launch vehicles guided by Masten is developing a line of uncrewed Extreme Description in-house developed Guidance, Altitude 1.0 (XA-1.0) suborbital vehicles designed and Control (GN&C) software. to lift payloads to an altitude of 100 kilometers • Seats: 0 (62 miles) or more. The date of the first launch • Altitude: 100 km of the XA-1.0 has not been released. Masten XA-1.0 • Mass: TBD has developed several prototypes to test various Statistics • Payload: TBD • Propulsion: LOX/alcohol approaches and systems in preparation for XA- • Operational flights: 2012 1.0. Its first prototype, the XA-0.1A, was tested in

• 10 • U.S. Commercial Suborbital Vehicles and Spaceports • Reusable Suborbital Launch Service Providers

David Masten

Masten is Founder, Chairman, and Chief Technology Officer for Masten Space Systems. Masten combined his long experience in IT and software development with his interest in rocket technology to form the company in 2004.

December 2007. The flight ended when the engines Xaero, with a more powerful engine than Xoie. shut down due to a faulty computer command, and NASA awarded Masten $250K as part of a the vehicle crashed to the ground. Below is a brief CRuSR contract in 2010. The contract value was summary of the prototype vehicles that followed. increased to $675K in 2011. In this contract, Masten is to provide four flights of Xaero with Xombie (XA-0.1B) test payloads from the Mojave Air and Space Port Xombie has been used for low-altitude, low- and Cape Canaveral Spaceport. Xaero will launch speed testing and became Masten’s entry to payloads weighing 10 kilograms (22 pounds) to the NASA-funded 2009 Northrop Grumman 6- and 30-kilometer (4- and 19-mile) altitudes. Lunar Lander X Challenge. The vehicle won the The rocket uses aerodynamic “petals” to slow $150K prize for Level One (flight duration of at down on return. Xaero is also used for testing least 90 seconds). The vehicle also successfully in-flight engine shutdown. As of August 2011, demonstrated the first in-air engine re-light for Xaero has performed over 45 flights. a VTVL vehicle. As of August 2011, Xombie performed 69 flights and continues to be flown. In August 2011, the Southwest Research Institute XA-0.1C and XA-0.1D were never built. signed a contract with Masten to provide payload integration services for the Xaero vehicle. Xoie (XA-0.1E) Masten’s next vehicle was Xoie. In 2009, the vehicle Xogdor (XA-0.1G) won the $1M first prize for Level Two of the Masten’s final prototype vehicle, Xogdor, has Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander X Challenge bigger tanks than its predecessors, increasing its (flight duration of at least 180 seconds and landing capacity to send 100 kilograms (220 pounds) to on a simulated lunar terrain with rocks and craters). a 100-kilometer (62-mile) altitude. Xogdor will The vehicle went on to perform a total of 11 flights form the basis of the XA-1.0 vehicle. Its first and was retired. flight is planned for 2012. Xaero (XA-0.1E2) In 2010, Masten began work on a new vehicle,

Photo credits: Ian Kluft (background), Masten Space Systems (left inset), Chad Slattery (Masten portrait). • 11 • Federal Aviation Administration / Commercial Space Transportation

UP Aerospace

Approach UP Aerospace provides inexpensive sounding rocket services using an RLV called SpaceLoft. The vehicle can accommodate several individual payloads at System SNAPSHOT once using a modular rack system. The company has no plans to produce a crewed vehicle at this time. Vehicle SpaceLoft Owner/ UP Aerospace Operator Year of UP Aerospace was founded in 1998 and 1998 Founding incorporated in 2004. It is headquartered in First Flight 2006 Denver, Colorado, with its launch operations Test conducted at Spaceport America in . Small reusable sounding rocket Description that uses ammonium perchlorate After earning an engineering degree in Aeronautics solid propellant. and Astronautics from the University of • Seats: 0 • Altitude: 160 km Washington, UP Aerospace founder Jerry Larson • Mass: 354 kg SpaceLoft worked at Corporation. He • Payload: 36 kg Statistics gained experience working on missile systems and • Propulsion: Ammonium perchlorate solid propellant launch vehicles, including NASA’s . • Currently operational In 1998, he teamed up with Hollywood stuntman Ky Michaelson to develop the GoFast rocket, which launched in 2004. It reached an altitude of 116 kilometers (72 miles). The success of this six- year proof-of-concept experience inspired Larson to leave his job at Lockheed Martin to begin working at UP Aerospace full time.

• 12 • U.S. Commercial Suborbital Vehicles and Spaceports • Reusable Suborbital Launch Service Providers

Jerry Larson

Larson is Founder and President of UP Aerospace. He earned a degree in from the University of Washington and worked at Lockheed Martin before founding UP Aerospace in 1998. The company was incoporated in 2004.

UP Aerospace has conducted several successful vehicle during each flight. A payload processing launches from New Mexico since 2006, even facility is located adjacent to the OCC where before the commercial spaceport was built. UP customers can perform payload integration, Aerospace primarily uses the SpaceLoft vehicle, setup their own system, and monitor a reusable sounding rocket available to launch payload functions in real time. The launch pad basic and applied research payloads, test and is located 4,500 feet east of the OCC, where demonstration payloads, and remote sensing a permanent concrete pad and rollback Final cameras. The vehicle’s payload capacity is about Assembly Building are located. 36 kilograms (80 pounds), and each flight costs an estimated $350K, which includes range fees. The vehicle has been launched five times at Spaceport America. UP Aerospace partners with Lockheed Martin on launches of proprietary “” vehicles; the first of four launched in 2007. UP Aerospace customers have included the DoD, Lockheed Martin, Moog, United States Air Force, NASA, and various schools. The company is developing a heavy-lift version of the SpaceLoft but has no plans at this time to develop a vehicle capable of launching humans into space. The launch site for UP Aerospace consists of a number of fixed buildings to conduct launch operations, assemble the launch vehicle, and perform the payload integration. The Operations SpaceLoft launch crew the day before the first successful launch from Spaceport America on Control Center (OCC) is where the launch crew April 28, 2007. conducts launch campaigns and monitors the

Photo credits: UP Aerospace (background, upper left, and lower right), ISPC (Larson portrait).

• 13 • Federal Aviation Administration / Commercial Space Transportation

Virgin Galactic

Approach Virgin Galactic will operate a vehicle system designed by Scaled Composites that features a jet- powered carrier aircraft as the first stage and an air- System SNAPSHOT launched rocket-powered second stage carrying six Vehicle SpaceShipTwo spaceflight participants. Reentry is managed by a Owner/ Virgin Galactic unique feathering flight control surface. The cabins Operator of the twin-fuselage carrier aircraft exactly duplicate Year of 2004 Founding that of the spacecraft, facilitating training. First Flight 2004 (SS1), 2010 (SS2) Test Virgin Galactic will operate piloted suborbital Two-stage system employing an vehicles built by and aircraft for the first stage and a Description designed by Scaled Composites. hybrid rocket-powered vehicle for the second stage The Scaled Composites SpaceShipOne (SS1) • Seats: 8 vehicle was the first privately funded piloted • Altitude: 100 km • Mass: TBD suborbital flight and it flew on September 29, 2004. • Payload: TBD On October 4, 2004, SS1 won the Ansari X PRIZE SS2 Statistics • Propulsion: Hybrid by achieving two flights reaching an altitude of (proprietary) • Operational flights: 2012 100 kilometers (62 miles) within the required two- • Ticket price per seat: week timeframe. The vehicle system employed $200,000 a conventional jet called White Knight, which carried SS1 to an altitude of 14 kilometers (8.7 miles) before releasing. , co-founder of Microsoft, provided substantial financial backing through a joint venture called Mojave Aerospace Ventures to fund the development of SS1.

• 14 • U.S. Commercial Suborbital Vehicles and Spaceports • Reusable Suborbital Launch Service Providers

Sir

Branson is Founder and CEO of . He founded Virgin Galactic in 2004 to provide commercial human suborbital flights. His hope is to evenutally provide similar service to orbit.

In 2005, Scaled Composites and the Virgin Group powered, supersonic, high-altitude flight, suborbital formed a joint venture called The Spaceship flights, and safety-of-flight demonstrations in Company. This partnership between Scaled preparation for commercial operations. Composites and Virgin Galactic enabled financing for the design, construction, and delivery of a fleet Commercial flights will not take place until at of SpaceShipTwo (SS2) vehicles, based on SS1, least 2012. At present, all of these flights, brokered and their carrier aircraft, WhiteKnightTwo. Under by Virgin Galactic, are planned to launch from this arrangement, Scaled Composites designs and Spaceport America, but additional spaceports may tests the prototype vehicles, while The Spaceship be considered for the future. Since early 2011, Company builds the commercial vehicles. Virgin Galactic obtained more than 440 deposits from potential customers for a total of over $55M. SS2 is an SRLV physically similar to SS1 except in Its objective is to secure deposits from 500 people size. SS2 is designed to carry six passengers and two before commercial operations begin. crewmembers. It will be powered by a single hybrid rocket engine called RocketMotorTwo, developed The Virgin Galactic vehicles may also be made by Scaled Composites and the Sierra Nevada available for other payloads, crewed and uncrewed, Corporation. SS2 is designed to reach an altitude to be launched by WhiteKnightTwo. Virgin of 110 kilometers (68 miles). Five SS2 vehicles are Galactic has received an initial $10K contract planned as an initial order for Virgin Galactic. through NASA’s Flight Opportunities Program and a contract with the Southwest Research Institute The SS2 test flight program began in October 2009. (SwRI) for two flights. The institute has also signed The first phases included ground operations and a separate contract with Virgin Galactic to provide test flights of SS2 and WhiteKnightTwo. Upon payload integration services. successful completion of these, the system was ready for piloted glide flights. As of August 2011, 15 glide tests of SS2 and seven ground firings of the engine had been completed. More test flights are planned before commercial operations, including a rocket-

Photo credits: Virgin Galactic (background/Sir Richard Branson portrait), EPA (above left). • 15 • Federal Aviation Administration / Commercial Space Transportation

XCOR Aerospace

Approach Founded in 1999, XCOR Aerospace was XCOR is developing a single-stage winged HTHL established by engineers that worked on Roton, suborbital vehicle powered by bi-propellant rocket a unique VTVL vehicle that combined rocket engines to perform in aircraft-like operations, capable and technologies. XCOR is based at of flying four times a day with turnaround time Mojave Air and Space Port in Mojave, California, between flights as short as two hours. and is headed by CEO Jeff Greason. XCOR’s main objectives are to produce rocket engines and develop a single-stage suborbital vehicle. System SNAPSHOT In 2004, FAA/AST awarded XCOR a license Vehicle Lynx for the operation of an SRLV called Sphinx. It Owner/ would have been capable of reaching pressure XCOR Aerospace Operator suit altitude, but funding for the program was Year of 1999 exhausted before construction began. Work on Founding Sphinx ultimately led to a new suborbital vehicle First Flight 2001 (EZ Rocket), X Racer (2007), Test 2012 (Lynx) under development called Xerus. Another vehicle Horizontal take-off/horizontal based on a more modest design for the U.S. Air Description landing vehicle using hybrid rocket Force called Lynx evolved enough in performance engines only to replace Xerus. • Seats: 1-2 • Altitude: 100km Lynx will be capable of carrying a pilot, a • Mass: 4,546kg , and payload on suborbital • Payload: 120kg (265lb) Lynx MK II internal, 650kg (1433lb) . The Lynx is designed as an HTHL Statistics external vehicle (similar to a normal aircraft). Lynx • Propulsion: LOX/kerosene is envisioned to be roughly the size of a small • Operational flights: 2013 • Ticket price per seat: $95,000 private airplane, with the capability to fly several times a day, using engines that burn non-toxic bi-propellants, allowing the operating costs to remain low. Two versions of the Lynx are being developed, the Lynx Mark I and Mark II. • 16 • U.S. Commercial Suborbital Vehicles and Spaceports • Reusable Suborbital Launch Service Providers

Jeff Greason President and Co-Founder of XCOR, Greason has over 20 years of experience managing high technology projects with XCOR, , and the Intel Corporation. He was also a member of the President’s 2009 Augustine Commission on the future of . Greason co-founded XCOR in 1999.

In 2010, XCOR successfully tested a Lynx scale is $10M. XCOR signed a related commercial model in a tunnel at NASA’s Marshall Space RLV scientific flight contract with the SwRI Flight Center. XCOR expects test flights of the for six flights. Also in 2011, the Planetary Lynx Mark I to begin between 2012 and 2013, Science Institute and XCOR Aerospace signed a from Mojave Air and Space Port. After successful Memorandum of Understanding that enables the testing, the Lynx Mark I will be available to carry flight of a human-operated optical observatory small payloads of 120 kilograms (265 pounds) called Atsa aboard Lynx. internally. XCOR continues to work on two wet lease The two-seat Lynx Mark II is XCOR’s operational agreements. (A wet lease means a company does version of the Lynx SRLV. This vehicle will send not purchase the vehicle; rather, it purchases a pilot, spaceflight participant, and small payload the right to lease the vehicle and pays XCOR (120 kilograms) to an altitude of 100 kilometers to operate it.) One agreement is with the South (62 miles). The Lynx Mark II is expected to fly Korea-based Yecheon Astro Space Center, in late 2012 or early 2013. XCOR has recently subject to U.S. State Department approval. partnered with Incredible Adventures to offer The other agreement, also subject to approval, commercial suborbital flights aboard the Lynx is with Space Expedition Curaçao (SXC) of Mark II. Flights have an introductory price of Antilles, who signed an agreement $95K. in October 2010. In this deal, SXC markets flights aboard the Lynx, beginning On August 9, 2011, NASA selected XCOR in January 2014. Discussions between the U.S. Aerospace as one of seven companies to receive Government, XCOR, Curaçao Airport , funding under the Flight Opportunities Program and other parties are underway to allow use of to provide suborbital services. The two-year the Lynx at Curaçao. contract is to integrate and fly technology payloads on commercial suborbital reusable platforms at altitudes of around 100 kilometers (62 miles). The combined total of the contracts

Photo credits: XCOR (background/insets), TEDx (Greason portrait). • 17 • Federal Aviation Administration / Commercial Space Transportation

Flight testING

Flight tests are an essential component of rockets. Under the CSLAA, FAA/AST vehicle development. They are designed to can issue experimental permits rather provide data on the vehicle’s performance as than licenses for the launch of and it functions in its operational environment. reentry of reusable suborbital rockets. An Individual components, most notably experimental permit is issued within four those associated with propulsion and flight months and requires less paperwork than a control, must be tested before any flight- license, which is issued within six months. testing takes place. Despite successful testing Launches of vehicles like SS2, tested by of components, computer simulation, and Scaled Composites, are conducted under an training, actual flight-testing will introduce experimental permit. Under such a regime, new challenges to overcome. a company is prohibited from generating revenue using its vehicle. In the United States, flight-testing of suborbital vehicles is conducted under Title Once a test program is completed, the 14 Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) operator can apply for either a launch Part 101 Class III Waiver or an Experimental license or an operator license. The key Permit for Reusable Suborbital Rockets difference between a launch-specific license issued by FAA/AST. Amateur rockets are and an operator license is that a launch- unmanned rockets with less than 297,632 specific license authorizes only a specific Newton-seconds (200,000 pound-seconds) number of launch or reentry activities. A of total impulse launching no higher than launch or reentry operator license will allow 150 kilometers (93 miles). Armadillo an operator to perform multiple launches Aerospace received the first Part 101 Class or reentries from multiple sites with a III Waiver in 2009, for its Module family of RLVs. vehicle. The table on page 19 lists the known The Commercial Space Launchnumber of test flights for SRLV developed Amendments Act of 2004 (CSLAA) by companies profiled in this publication. established an experimental permit regime for developmental reusable suborbital

• 18 • U.S. Commercial Suborbital Vehicles and Spaceports • Reusable Suborbital Launch Service Providers

List of flight tests by operator Number of Pilots Operator Vehicle Type of Test Remarks Flights (if applicable) Armadillo Vertical takeoff/ STIG A-I 1 None Destroyed in June 2011 test. Aerospace parachute landing Armadillo Super-MOD VTVL 1 None Active Aerospace Armadillo Methane- VTVL 1 None Aerospace MOD Armadillo Rocket Racer Used as rocket engine HTHL 60+ Fox, Morss Aerospace (T1 and T2) testbed. Delivered in 2010 to Armadillo (Pixel VTVL 50+ None NASA in support of Project Aerospace and Texel) Morpheus. Destroyed during second Blue Origin PM-2 VTVL 2 None flight. Blue Origin Goddard VTVL 3 None Vehicle to be used for Masten Space Xaero VTVL 45+ None NASA’s Flight Opportunities Systems Program. Active. First vehicle in Masten Space history to shut down and Xombie VTVL 69 None Systems reignite rocket engine during atmospheric flight. Retired. Won Level 2 prize Masten Space Xoie VTVL 11 None of 2009 Lunar Lander Systems Challenge. Scaled SS2 Glide flights 15 Siebold, Stucky Composites Scaled SS2 Captive carry 12 Siebold, Stucky Composites Scaled Nichols, SS2 Taxi 5 Composites Siebold, Stucky Won Ansari X Prize in 2004, Scaled Binnie, Melvill, SS1 Powered flight 6 Melvill first commercial Composites Siebold . Scaled Binnie, Melvill, SS1 Glide flights 9 Composites Siebold Scaled SS1 Captive carry 2 Melvill Composites XCOR X Racer HTHL 40 Searfoss Retired Rutan, Searfoss, XCOR EZ Rocket HTHL 26 Retired Melvill

• 19 • Federal Aviation Administration / Commercial Space Transportation

SYSTEMS Under Development

The previous section highlighted vehicles is a private that expect to have commercial flights non-profit Danish aerospace company. within the next few years. There are a Like many of the American companies number of additional vehicles that are in an highlighted in the previous section, earlier stage of development summarized Copenhagen Suborbitals was started by on these two pages. individuals dedicated to reducing the cost of space flight for the average citizen. The One of note is being developed by U.S.- company is funded entirely from donations based Whittinghill Aerospace in support and private financing. of NASA’s Flight Opportunities Program. EADS and Rocketplane Global are Whittinghill is developing a nano- each pursuing similar programs involving a orbital launch vehicle composed of mass- single-stage vehicle capable of horizontal produced propellant modules. Under the . Unlike XCOR’s single- Flight Opportunities Program, Whittinghill stage Lynx, these vehicles will employ will modify one of the propellant modules conventional jet engines for much of the for a suborbital flight. flight profile, only using its rocket engine for a few minutes in a “zoom maneuver” to The companies described on page 21 reach 100 kilometers (62 miles). are included because they are potential French aerospace company Dassault competitors to the six companies previously Aviation is working on a suborbital vehicle described. Piloted flights of these vehicles called Vehra Suborbital Habité (VSH), are several years away, and in most cases, which builds on the company’s heritage components for these vehicles have not yet work on NASA’s X-38 and the European been manufactured. Two exceptions are Space Agency’s vehicle. Like Virgin -based Copenhagen Suborbitals, Galactic’s SS2, the VSH will be air-dropped. which has been developing the HEAT 1X vehicle and Tycho Brahe capsule, and the Finally, SpaceX started the application other is Sierra Nevada Corporation, which process in 2011 for an FAA/AST is making steady progress on its Dream Experimental Permit authorizing testing of Chaser vehicle. is primarily its Grasshopper VTVL SRLV. The vehicle an orbital vehicle, but may also be available will be flight-tested from the company’s site for suborbital flights. in McGregor, Texas.

• 20 • U.S. Commercial Suborbital Vehicles and Spaceports • Reusable Suborbital Launch Service Providers

Reusable suborbital launch service providers Remarks Vehicle Particulars • Seats: 1 HEAT 1X is the vehicle that will carry the Tycho Brahe to 100 • Altitude: 100 km km altitude with one person aboard. The person will stand • Mass: ~300 kg within the vehicle during the entire mission and will be able • Payload: ~70 kg to see through a 360-degree dome at the top. After reentry, • Propulsion: LOX/ polyurethane COPENHAGEN a parachute is deployed and Tycho Brahe splashes down for • Off-shore vertical take-off, SUBORBITALS recovery. The company is based in Demark. parachute landing HEAT 1X, Tycho Brahe • Operational flights: 2015 • Seats: 6 Vehra Suborbital Habité (VSH) is developed from Dassault’s • Altitude: 100 km véhicule hypersonique réutilisable aéroporté (Vehra). The • Mass: 11,000 kg vehicles are based on NASA’s cancelled X-38 and ESA’s • Payload: TBD cancelled Hermes vehicle studies from the 1990s. - • Propulsion: LOX/kerosene DASSAULT AVIATION based Dassault worked on those earlier programs. • Air-dropped VSH • Operational flights: TBD • Seats: 5 France-based Astrium unveiled this concept in 2007, with • Altitude: 100 km plans to begin operations by 2011. These plans have been • Mass: 18,000 kg delayed as the company secures public and private funding • Payload: TBD sources. The vehicle is expected to have a 10-year service • Propulsion: Two jet engines, life at a flight rate of once per week. Advertised ticket prices LOX/methane (CH ) EADS ASTRIUM 4 Spaceplane are €200,000. • HTHL • Operational flights: TBD • Seats: 6 Rocketplane XP is similar to a business jet but includes • Altitude: 100 km a single rocket engine, a (RCS), • Mass: 9,072 kg and an internal air supply. The vehicle can be operated • Payload: TBD from ordinary airfields licensed for suborbital operations. • Propulsion: Two jet engines, ROCKETPLANE Rocketplane Global is currently based at Oklahoma Air and LOX/kerosene GLOBAL Space Port. • HTHL Rocketplane XP • Operational flights: TBD • Seats: 7 Dream Chaser is a system capable of both suborbital and • Altitude: 160 km orbital missions (orbital missions will be launched aboard an • Mass: 11,340 kg V). The vehicle is based on the original NASA HL-20 • Payload: TBD design and uses a composite airframe. First air drop tests • Propulsion: of Dream Chaser, using Virgin Galactic’s WhiteKnightTwo (N O)/HTPB SIERRA NEVADA 2 Dream Chaser aircraft, are scheduled to begin in 2012. • Air-dropped • Operational flights: 2015

The Grasshopper is an SRLV consisting of a First • Altitude: TBD Stage tank, a Merlin 1D engine, four steel landing legs, and • Mass: TBD a steel support structure. The vehicle will be flight-tested • Payload: TBD in West Texas. The test program will involve phases for • Propulsion: LOX/kerosene takeoff, flight, and landing, and flights both below and within • VTVL SPACEX controlled airspace. FAA Experimental Permit pending. • Operational flights: TBD Grasshopper

Whittinghill is developing the minimum Cost Launch • Altitude: TBD System (mCLS) designed to send nano- into low • Mass: TBD Earth orbit. The system employs a of standardized • Payload: TBD

propellant modules; one propellant module can be used for • Propulsion: N2O/rubber suborbital missions. Under the Flight Opportunities Program, • Vertical take off or rail WHITTINGHILL Whittinghill will modify one of the propellant modules for a launch, parachute landing AEROSPACE suborbital flight. • Operational flights: TBD mCLS

Photo credits: (From top to bottom) Copenhagen Suborbitals, Dassault Aviation, EADS Astrium, Rocketplane Global, Sierra Nevada, SpaceX, Whittinghill Aerospace.

• 21 • Federal Aviation Administration / Commercial Space Transportation

Launch Sites

Spaceports are sites dedicated to launching the United States. The figure on page 23 orbital or suborbital vehicles into space. identifies the locations of federal and non- These sites often provide the capability federal spaceports in the United States. to integrate launch vehicle components, This publication highlights the five FAA- integrate vehicles with payloads, fuel and licensed spaceports that conduct suborbital maintain vehicles, and conduct launches. flights: Cecil Field Spaceport, Florida; Cape Spaceports can have launch pads for Canaveral Spaceport, Florida; Mojave Air vertically launched vehicles, runways, or and Space Port, California; Oklahoma Air both. Spaceport operations are supported and Space Port, Oklahoma; and Spaceport by range assets and air traffic control to America, New Mexico. These spaceports ensure flights to and from the site are feature runways for launch vehicles that take conducted safely. off or land horizontally, similar to airplanes. The FAA/AST licenses commercial Some also have launch pads. Wallops Flight spaceport operations in the United States Facility in and Poker Flat in Alaska and by 2011, had issued eight licenses. The conduct launches of expendable sounding table below lists all orbital and suborbital rockets, a type of suborbital vehicle not FAA-licensed commercial spaceports in discussed in this report.

FAA-licensed spaceports License First Spaceport Operator State Orbital/Suborbital Expires Issued California Spaceport Systems September 18, California Orbital 1996 Spaceport International 2011 Cape Canaveral Space Florida Florida Orbital/Suborbital 1999* June 30, 2015 Spaceport Cecil Field Jacksonville Aviation January 10, Florida Suborbital 2010 Spaceport Authority 2015 Kodiak Launch Alaska Aerospace September 24, Alaska Orbital/Suborbital 1998 Complex Development Corporation 2013 Mid-Atlantic Virgnia Commercial Space December 18, Regional Virginia Orbital/Suborbital 1997 Flight Authority 2012 Spaceport Mojave Air and East Kern Airport District California Suborbital 2004 , 2014 Space Port Oklahoma Air Oklahoma Oklahoma Suborbital 2006 June 11, 2011 and Space Port Development Authority Spaceport New Mexico Spaceport New December 15, Suborbital 2008 America Authority Mexico 2013

* Issued to predecessor organization, Spaceport Florida Authority.

• 22 • U.S. Commercial Suborbital Vehicles and Spaceports • Launch Sites

Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport

California Spaceport

Vandenberg AFB Mojave Air and Space Port Cecil Field Spaceport Edwards AFB Spaceport America Cape Canaveral Spaceport White Sands Oklahoma Air and Kennedy Space Missile Range Space Port Center Cape Canaveral AFS West Texas (Blue Origin Test Site)

Kodiak Launch Complex KEY Odyssey Platform (Equatorial Pacific Ocean) U.S. Federal Spaceport Ronald Reagan Test Site Non-Federal Spaceport (, Marshall Islands) Sole Site Operator (FAA License/Permit)

Locations of U.S. federal and FAA-licensed spaceports.

• 23 • Federal Aviation Administration / Commercial Space Transportation

CApe Canaveral Spaceport

and Cecil field Spaceport

SPACEPORT SNAPSHOT Location Jacksonville, Florida Space Florida (Cape Canaveral Owner / Spaceport) Operator Jacksonville Aviation Authority (Cecil Field) Active FAA Launch Site License Status Operator Licenses Cape Canaveral Spaceport’s LC-36 is planned for suborbital launches. Cecil Field Description supports horizontal launch for commercial, government, and non-profit users. Cape Canaveral Spaceport • LC-36

Cecil Field • Elevation: 25 meters • 4 runways with taxiways • 175 buildings • 8 aircraft hangars • Active air traffic control Infrastructure tower • Warehouse • Industrial space • General use and support facilities • 40 major buildings totaling 457,200 m2 • 139,355 m2 aircraft parking apron

• 24 • U.S. Commercial Suborbital Vehicles and Spaceports • Launch Sites

Florida has two spaceports that launch suborbital January 2010. The license authorizes use of Cecil vehicles. Cape Canaveral Spaceport, managed by Field Spaceport for horizontal take off and landing Space Florida, is located along the state’s Atlantic of suborbital launch vehicles. The U.S. Navy coast adjacent to Cape Canaveral Air Force once operated Cecil Field as an airfield, which Station and NASA’s . Cecil was closed in 1993 and transferred to the City of Field Spaceport is located near Jacksonville and Jacksonville in 1999. shares assets with . Space Florida, Cecil Field is located about 24 kilometers (15 an Independent Special District of the State of miles) from Jacksonville and features a 3,810-meter Florida, promotes and facilitates the growth and (12,500-foot) runway and three shorter runways. development of Florida’s space industry, including The spaceport shares assets with Cecil Airport, activities at Cape Canaveral Spaceport and Cecil which services military, civil aircraft, and general Field. aviation customers. and Northrop Interest among those in the commercial suborbital Grumman operate several maintenance and industry continues for the country’s most historic overhaul facilities at Cecil Field for the DoD. space site, Cape Canaveral. In May 2011, Masten On June 9, 2011, Space Florida officially Space Systems and Space Florida signed a $400K designated Cecil as a “Space Territory,” meaning contract for Masten to perform VTVL launches the Florida Department of Transportation has the from Launch Complex 36 (LC-36, above left). authority to fund spaceport-related transportation Recently completed construction includes a facilities to accommodate suborbital activities. processing facility, launch control center, and launch pad. Flights are expected to begin between In 2010, the FAA awarded $105K to JAA, as part 2011 and 2012. The Cape will also be the future of the FAA’s Space Transportation Infrastructure home of a commerce center called the Exploration Matching Grants program. JAA has used the Park, part of Space Florida’s development efforts. money to develop a Spaceport Master Plan for Cecil Field, with delivery planned in the Fall of The FAA issued Jacksonville Aviation Authority 2011. (JAA) a Space Launch Site Operator’s License in Photo credits: Paul Bates (background), Marion Swinford (left inset), Masten Space (right inset). • 25 • Federal Aviation Administration / Commercial Space Transportation

Mojave Air and Space Port

SPACEPORT SNAPSHOT Location Mojave, California Owner/ East Kern Airport District Operator (EKAD) Active FAA Launch Site License Status Operator License An airport used for flight testing, space industry Description development, and aircraft heavy maintenance and storage. • Elevation: 851 meters • Three runways • Air traffic control tower • Rotor test stand • Engineering facilities • High bay building • Easy access to restricted Infrastructure airspace • Space zoned specifically for rocket motor development and testing • Intermodal freight node • Fast access to Los Angeles • Crash, , and rescue services

• 26 • U.S. Commercial Suborbital Vehicles and Spaceports • Launch Sites

The Mojave Air and Space Port, a hub for In August 2011, the FAA awarded $125K to and rocket development, is an the East Kern Airport District as part of the aerospace test center and spaceport situated in Space Transportation Infrastructure Matching the Mojave Desert, a place well-known in air and Grants program. Mojave Air and Space Port used space lore. Particularly during the , the the grant for a Supplemental Environmental Mojave Desert served as a backdrop for testing Assessment. In October of the previous year, the high-performance aircraft, with Edwards Air FAA had awarded the organization $125K to Force Base being the focal point. purchase an emergency response vehicle. On June 17, 2004, the FAA granted East Kern In September 2011, The Spaceship Airport District a Space Launch Site Operator’s Company opened a new 6,317-square-meter License for suborbital horizontal take off at (68,000-square-foot) manufacturing facility at Mojave Air and Space Port. The spaceport has the spaceport. The clear-span hanger will feature since become home for about 40 aerospace offices, manufacturing, and testing facilities. The companies, including Scaled Composites, XCOR hangar is large enough to allow production of two Aerospace, Masten, and . Virgin Galactic WhiteKnightTwo aircraft and at Companies are currently designing, building, least two SS2 vehicles at one time. Construction and testing small SRLVs on site. of the hangar was completed in September 2011, and The Spaceship Company is now operating The spaceport operates three runways, with the out of that facility. Future development plans for longest at 3,810 meters (12,500 feet), and several the spaceport include improvements to the rail rocket pads. It also features areas specifically infrastructure. zoned for rocket engine testing.

Photo credits: Marion Cerrato (background), Mirek Kubicek (left inset), Ian Kluft (right inset).

• 27 • Federal Aviation Administration / Commercial Space Transportation

Oklahoma AIR AND Space port

SPACEPORT SNAPSHOT Location Washita County, Oklahoma Oklahoma Space Industry Owner/ Development Authority Operator (OSIDA) Active FAA Launch Site License Status Operator License Provides launch and support Description services for horizontally launched suborbital RLVs. • Elevation: 586 meters • 4,100-meter runway • 5,200 m2 manufacturing facility • 2,800 m2 hangar • 6 commercial aircraft Infrastructure hangars, including a 2,800 m2 maintenance and paint facility • 39 hectare concrete ramp • Control tower, crash and rescue facility • 435 km2 of land available for further construction

• 28 • U.S. Commercial Suborbital Vehicles and Spaceports • Launch Sites

The FAA issued a Space Launch Site Operator’s runway with 304-meter (1,000-foot) overruns, License to the Oklahoma Space Industry one of the longest runways in North America. Development Authority (OSIDA) on June A large parking apron, four large hangars, and 12, 2006, to operate Oklahoma Air and Space a 4,645-square-meter (50,000-square-foot) Port, located near the community of Burns manufacturing facility are available. A medical Flat, Oklahoma. The spaceport, part of what is facility and crash unit are also on site. also known as the Clinton-Sherman Industrial OSIDA received its FY 2012 appropriations from Airpark, was once the site of an Air Force Strategic the Oklahoma Legislature on June 30, 2011. Air Command Base operating B-52 and KC-135 aircraft before the base closed down in Byy March 2010, using $380K in FAA grants, 1969. The spaceport is licensed as a horizontal OSIDA installed precision approach path takeoff and landing or and horizontal indicator systems for the spaceport’s two runways landing site for suborbital reusable launch and replaced the old rotating airport beacon. By vehicles. It controls the only space flight corridor October 2011, OSIDA will install runway and within the national airspace system that is not taxi way signage and runway end identifier lights, part of a military operating area or restricted air using a $600K FAA grant received in August space. The Oklahoma Air and Space Port also 2011. The facility is additionally authorized to serves as a general aviation public use facility. issue terminal weather forecasts. OSIDA will OSIDA recently signed a Joint Use Agreement soon be building a Spaceport operational control with the Air Force to use the facility for flight center. In addition, new perimeter fencing and training exercises. security gates completely enclose the facility. The Oklahoma Air and Space Port features a 4,116-meter (13,503-foot) by 91-meter (300-foot)

Photo credits: Alan R Moller/Getty Images (background), NewsOn6.com (left insets), OSIDA (right inset).

• 29 • Federal Aviation Administration / Commercial Space Transportation

Spaceport America

SPACEPORT SNAPSHOT Location Upham, New Mexico Owner/ New Mexico Spaceport Operator Authority (NMSA) Active FAA Launch Site License Status Operator License A commercial spaceport in development that will support Description vertical and horizontal space launch. • Elevation: 1,401 meters • 3,000-meter runaway • Main terminal featuring training area, departure lounge, mission control, and celebration areas • Vertical launch pads and launch rail • Weather station • Rocket motor storage facilities and control trailers Infrastructure • Spaceport operations center, fire station, and maintenance facility • Fuel storage depot • Planned infrastructure includes a rollback vehicle assembly and integration building, vertical launch mission control, cryogenic fuels storage facilities, dedicated visitor facilities, and launch viewing areas.

• 30 • U.S.U.S. Commercial Commercial Suborbital Suborbital Vehicles Vehicles and and Spaceports Spaceports • • Launch Launch Sites Sites

Spaceport America is the world’s first purpose- and five SS2 spacecraft. Virgin Galactic’s built, commercial spaceport. It is currently commercial flights will launch from Spaceport under construction and will be managed by the America after successful completion of its New Mexico Spaceport Authority (NMSA). final test program and licensing of the space Spaceport America is located in Sierra County, launch system by the FAA. The spaceport has near the city of Truth or Consequences, New already hosted 12 flight tests by vertical launch Mexico. customers, including UP Aerospace, Lockheed Martin, Armadillo Aerospace, and Moog-FTS. The FAA granted NMSA a Space Launch Site Operator’s License on December 18, 2008, to In September 2010, the FAA awarded the operate Spaceport America. Virgin Galactic, the NMSA $43K to provide an Automated Weather anchor tenant, signed a 20-year lease agreement Observing System, as part of the FAA’s Space immediately after issuance of the license. Transportation Infrastructure Matching Grants Construction of the spaceport’s main terminal Program. NMSA was also awarded an FAA building, training facility, and mission control grant worth nearly $250K in August 2011, for center has progressed steadily since 2009, with constructing a rollback integration building that completion expected in 2011. The 3,000-meter can be used to prepare space vehicles for vertical (10,000-foot) runway was dedicated on October launches. 22, 2010, and renamed the Governor Bill The spaceport is entirely financed by the Richardson Spaceway in honor of the former taxpayers of New Mexico, with an estimated New Mexico governor. cost of $209M. The main terminal hangar will be able to house two Virgin Galactic WhiteKnightTwo aircraft

Photo credits: Aistis Tumas (background), Spaceport America (left inset), Jeffrey Vock/Getty (right inset).

• 31 • Federal Aviation Administration / Commercial Space Transportation

Funding

Total investment committed in the companies. By mid-2011, Virgin Galactic commercial human spaceflight industry is had deposits from 440 individuals with an estimated to be about $1.5B worldwide. estimated value of $55M. In 2010, Armadillo About a third of this money is directed and Space Adventures announced a marketing toward suborbital ventures and about half agreement for Armadillo suborbital flights. of the money toward orbital activities. A According to Space Adventures, it has a small amount addresses spaceport and waiting list of 200 people eager for a space infrastructure developments. flight. Space Expeditions Curaçao and Yecheon Astro Space Center both have wet Commercial SRLVs lease agreements with XCOR, pending approval by the U.S. Department of State, to The largest sources of funding for SRLVs market space tourism flights aboard the Lynx have come from individual contributions vehicle. Sponsorships may also prove lucrative by company founders and angel investors. as the industry matures, but as of now, this For example, Armadillo’s founder, John has not been a major source of revenue. Carmack, has reportedly invested $2M in his company. Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen Prizes have helped spur the industry. While invested approximately $20M in Scaled they may be considered a form of investment, Composites’ SpaceShipOne, the precursor to the value of the prize may not necessarily be Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo. Sir Richard enough to cover a development program. Branson’s Virgin Group has invested about The Ansari X PRIZE was such an example– $100M in Virgin Galactic, and the $10M purse covered just under half has contributed to Blue Origin. the development cost of SpaceShipOne. However, the Ansari X PRIZE and follow- As suborbital RLV companies get closer on X prizes played a key part in introducing to operational space flights, they are the world to the idea of suborbital space beginning to sign contracts with various tourism. Much media attention was focused companies and institutes that want to use on the Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander their services. For example, in February X Challenge between 2008 and 2009, when 2011, Virgin Galactic signed a $1.6M Armadillo Aerospace and Masten Space contract with SwRI to provide two seats, Systems each won $850K and $1.15M, with an option for six more. SwRI has respectively. NASA’s also signed a contract with XCOR for six Program provided the prize. Northrop flights, with an option for three more, to Grumman sponsored the event, which was fly researchers on the Lynx vehicle. SwRI managed by The . signed an additional contract later in the A summary of suborbital companies that year to provide payload integration services have won X prizes is provided on page 33. for Masten Space Systems, Virgin Galactic, and XCOR. SRLV companies and the spaceports that serve them also receive government Individuals willing to pay for a ride are funding from NASA, the DoD, and the also expected to provide revenue for the FAA. NASA has provided funding for

• 32 • U.S. Commercial Suborbital Vehicles and Spaceports • Funding

Prizes awarded for suborbital RLVs and related technologies Year of Prize Goal Winners Amount Award Launch a spacecraft for three people to Ansari X reach 100 kilometers above the Earth’s 2004 Scaled Composites $10M PRIZE surface, twice within two weeks. NASA Northrop Take off from a launch area; to a First Place, Armadillo Aerospace Grumman low, fixed altitude; and fly for 90 seconds 2008- (2008) $350K Lunar Lander before landing on a different landing pad. 2009 Second Place, Masten Space $150K Challenge Flight must then be repeated in reverse. Systems (2009) Level I NASA Northrop Take off from a launch area; climb to a First Place, Masten Space Grumman low, fixed altitude; and fly for 180 seconds Systems $1M 2009 Lunar Lander before landing on a different landing pad. Second Place, Armadillo $500K Challenge Flight must then be repeated in reverse. Aerospace Level II suborbital RLV development primarily systems must be able to fly twice within five as part of NASA’s Flight days to qualify for these contracts. NASA’s Program, which encompasses NASA’s objective is to stimulate the SRLV industry Facilitated Access to the Space Environment while simultaneously developing next- for Technology (FAST) and Commercial generation space technologies. One of the Reusable Suborbital Research (CRuSR) seven companies awarded under the contract programs. The Flight opportunities Program (Near Space Corp.) is not pursuing an SRLV, will provide frequent flight opportunities for so it is not discussed in this report. technology payloads to fly on both parabolic aircraft and SRLVs. In August 2011, NASA NASA is also providing funding to these selected seven companies to fly technology companies through its Small Business payloads on commercial suborbital reusable Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small platforms to carry payloads near the altitude Business Technology Transfer (STTR) of 100 kilometers (62 miles). The two-year, programs, as well as other contracts for $10M set-aside will be allocated through specific technology. Below is a summary of contracts, with the individual value of each NASA funding that SRLV companies will ranging from $10K to $5M. The vehicle receive upon completion of the flights.

NASA funding for suborbital RLVs and related technologies Funding Year of Summary Winners Amount Program Award Armadillo Aerospace Fund flights to carry payloads on a reusable Masten Space Systems Flight $10M platform space. Vehicles must be able to fly twice UP Aerospace Opportunities 2011 over two within five days to qualify. Individual contracts will Virgin Galactic Program years have values ranging from $10K to $5M. Whittinghill Aerospace XCOR

Fund seven low-altitude rocket flights to carry CRuSR 2010 Masten Space Systems $675K payloads.

Terrestrial plume impingement testbed composite NASA SBIR 2010 Masten Space Systems $73K fuel tank using Xombie vehicle.

• 33 • Federal Aviation Administration / Commercial Space Transportation

DoD provides some funding for suborbital they are generally about $1M or less in size. RLV technologies. Details for some of this Below is a list of known DoD funding. funding has not been made public. The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and Spaceports the Defense Advanced Research Projects FAA/AST established a Commercial Space Agency (DARPA) have signed contracts Transportation Matching Grants Program with companies to develop suborbital and for ensuring the resiliency of the U.S. space orbital technologies. The SRLV developed transportation infrastructure. This legislation for the AFRL Reusable Booster Program authorizes the use of federal monies in is expected to be licensed or permitted by with matching state, local FAA/AST. Emphasis is often placed on government, and private funds for use in innovative propulsion, particularly in terms commercial spaceport development. Fiscal of hypersonic systems, which would be ideal Year 2010 was the first year that federal funds for suborbital vehicles and single stage- were appropriated, and about $1M has been to-orbit launch vehicles. Typical contracts allocated thus far to five commercial spaceport include SBIR and STTR funding, and authorities. Under this program, development

DoD funding for suborbital RLV-related technologies Funding Year of Summary Winners Amount Program Award Evaluate different wireless protocol and hardware Masten Space DARPA SBIR combinations in flight using a test network on an 2009 $97K Systems appropriate flight testbed. Variable thrust liquid or gel propulsion for mission DoD SBIR flexibility. Propulsion could be used for both 2008 XCOR $99K suborbital and orbital rocket engines. Hardware component prototyping for Operationally USAF SBIR Responsive Space access using near-space 2008 XCOR $700K vehicle. Hardware component prototyping for Operationally USAF SBIR Responsive Space access using near-space 2007 XCOR $100K vehicle. Hardware component prototyping for Operationally Armadillo USAF SBIR 2007 $93K Responsive Space access using QUAD vehicle. Aerospace Design, build, and test a small, lightweight, DARPA STTR and responsive (LOX) pump with 2003 XCOR $750K integrated (pump and motor) assembly.

• 34 • U.S. Commercial Suborbital Vehicles and Spaceports • Funding

projects eligible for funding include technical Summary and environmental studies; construction, improvement, and design and engineering of Private investment, prizes, and government space transportation infrastructure, including funding will continue to play an facilities and associated equipment; and role in helping to establish markets real property to meet the needs of the U.S. served by commercial SRLVs and spur commercial space transportation industry. In technological innovation. The long-term addition, the FAA selected New Mexico State objective is to ensure these markets are University (NMSU) as an Air Transportation self-sustaining, supported through the Center of Excellence for Commercial Space expenditure of profits earned through Transportation. Under the arrangement, ticket sales and service contracts. As these the FAA will enter into 50-50 cost-sharing markets mature, commercial spaceports are cooperative agreements to establish research expected to become transportation nodes partnerships, with plans to invest at least capable of attracting and sustaining new $1M per year for the first five years of the business. center’s operations. Below is a summary of funding sources for spaceports serving SRLVs.

Funding sources for commercial spaceports serving suborbital RLVs State and Local Government Spaceport FAA Sources Contracts Budget Allocations $400K (contract between Space Cape Florida and Masten Space Canaveral $43M (Space Florida budget $105K (2010 grant) Systems signed in 2011 for Spaceport and appropriation, 2011) Masten to conduct launches Cecil Field from LC-36) $1.27M (total for California and $125K (2011 grant) Mojave Air and Race to Space Port build last mile $125K (2010 grant) infrastructure to air and space port) $424K (state budget allocation, 2010) Oklahoma Air and Space Port $528K (estimated state budget allocation, 2009) $249K (2011 grant) Spaceport $212M (state budget allocation for America construction of spaceport) $43K (2010 grant)

• 35 • Federal Aviation Administration / Commercial Space Transportation

U.S. Commercial Suborbital SPACEFLIGHT Industry Markets

Reusable suborbital vehicle companies seek customer-oriented, flexible approach. to offer inexpensive, frequent access to space Currently, the commercial reusable suborbital for spaceflight participants and payloads. spaceflight industry can be divided into seven There is still significant uncertainty as to how potential markets: suborbital markets will develop and mature. Deposits by customers and purchases of • Commercial Human Spaceflight launches signals early market interest, as do • Basic and Applied Research agreements with research institutes to fly • Aerospace Technology Test and experiments and researchers. Demonstration • Remote Sensing Suborbital vehicles offer some benefits • Education over existing launch and research options • Media and Public Relations for certain applications. Access to space on • Point-to-Point Transportation SRLVs is anticipated to be less expensive per unit mass launched–possibly an Commercial Human Spaceflight – The order of magnitude less expensive–than market for commercial human spaceflight orbital launch alternatives. This benefits is includes human spaceflight experiences applications where the more limited space for tourism or training. These may be access afforded by a suborbital launch consumer experiences or government- or meets the needs of the customer. Frequent corporate-sponsored in-space training. For suborbital flights are anticipated, which a private individual, this is one of only two can allow for flexibility in launch dates, opportunities to directly experience space. opportunities for repeated measurements, At a cost of under $100K-$200K, it is far and integration into educational curricula below the reported $35M-$50M required on an annual or semester cycle. Frequent for an orbital trip. Users for this market flights should yield opportunities for on- include private individuals and training demand launches responsive to short-term and researcher personnel. phenomena, such as space or atmospheric Basic and Applied Research – Suborbital weather. SRLVs also offer a more benign vehicles offer opportunities for basic and environment compared to traditional applied research in a number of disciplines, sounding rockets as well as payload including biological and physical research, recovery and re-flight. Since most SRLVs in space science, Earth science, and human development will carry humans, they can research. The vehicles can leverage the enable expanded space tourism and many properties of and access to the space kinds of human research (both measuring environment, upper atmospheric regions, human responses and conducting human- and microgravity. The users are generally tended experiments). Finally, since the researchers with funding from federal, companies involved operate commercially, non-profit, or commercial research and it is anticipated that they will take a development entities.

• 36 • U.S. Commercial Suborbital Vehicles and Spaceports • U.S. Commercial Suborbital Industry Markets

Aerospace Technology Test and related content. Organizations may wish to Demonstration – This market area use images, logos, or video that link their encompasses aerospace engineering payloads product or company with space , to advance technology maturity or achieve and suborbital companies may be able to space demonstration. More frequent flights capitalize on this. could provide opportunities to advance technologies quicker through technology Point-to-Point Transportation – This readiness levels. The users for this market market includes transportation of cargo would likely include organizations currently or humans between different locations. engaged in research. Suborbital spaceflight has the potential This includes military and civil agencies, to reduce airtime for long-distance universities, and aerospace firms. transportation of packages and people, including fast-package delivery, spaceflight Remote Sensing – Remote sensing is participant applications, and high-speed the acquisition of imagery of the Earth troop transport, where transit time across and Earth systems for commercial, civil, the globe could be reduced to a matter of government, or military applications. hours. The potential users may include Suborbital vehicles will occupy a niche , military personnel, couriers, between satellite and aerial data, where the and spaceflight participants. field of regard and the resolution available will fall between those other options. Users Suborbital vehicles provide clear and are likely to be current users of remote immediate benefits for entities already sensing data, such as space agencies, civil engaged in space activities, particularly agencies like the National Oceanic and in research and aerospace technology Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. markets. They have the potential to reach Geological Survey, commercial firms, and new customers, particularly in commercial military organizations. human spaceflight and education markets. Education – The education market includes The cost, while much lower than existing opportunities for K-12 schools, colleges, access to space, remains high. In many universities, and graduate programs to markets, there are competing alternatives increase access to and awareness of space. from terrestrial or non-space products and Fundamentally, these vehicles offer services. affordable, direct access to the space Over the next year, FAA/AST will examine environment, potentially allowing a school the demand for suborbital flights and to build, launch, and return a payload their impact on the U.S. economy and the that can be used as the basis of its science, suborbital industry. FAA/AST plans to add technology, and math curricula. Users a 10-year commercial suborbital forecast to include students of all ages, educational its annual commercial space transportation institutions, and organizations involved in forecasts. supporting education. These markets are listed on page 38 Media and Public Relations – This and include brief descriptions of the market uses space to promote products, opportunities and challenges of each. increase brand awareness, or film space-

• 37 • Federal Aviation Administration / Commercial Space Transportation

Suborbital Industry Markets Opportunities Challenges COMMERCIAL HUMAN • New and unique offering • More affordable, easier access to • High costs SPACEFLIGHT space • Real and perceived safety risks Human spaceflight experiences for • May lead to long-term applications, tourism or training like adventure sports • Access to space • Quality microgravity of meaningful duration • Duration of time spent in microgravity BASIC AND APPLIED • Frequent flight opportunities is not suitable for all types of • Prices within important funding research Basic and applied research in a number thresholds • Frequency of flight opportunities not of disciplines, leveraging the unique • Broad range of feasible experiments sufficient for all research objectives properties of and access to the space - Payload recovery • Still expensive, with limited access, environment and microgravity - Large payloads compared to most non-space - Humans and equipment together research environments - Sensitive equipment and instrumentation • Suborbital space qualification and testing can reduce cost and AEROSPACE TECHNOLOGY accelerate TRL advancement • Overcomes “chicken & egg” • Suborbital provides important, but TEST AND DEMONSTRATION problem of space qualification and limited analog to orbital environment Aerospace engineering to advance demonstration • Extensive terrestrial test facilities technology maturity or achieve space • Potential value to all space exist demonstration, qualification, or organizations certification • Micro-/nano-satellite launch • More hands-on space project management • Limited locations • Robust capabilities of existing • Resolution/field-of-view niche systems REMOTE SENSING between aerial and satellite Acquisition of imagery of the Earth and - Aerial and satellite for civil and • Safe and responsive intelligence, Earth systems for commercial, civil commercial markets surveillance, and reconnaissance government, or military applications - Satellite and UAV for military • Micro-/nano-satellite launch applications (also new ISR rocket in development) • Competing with other education priorities • K-12 spending has tight upper limits EDUCATION • Allows graduate students timely, Providing opportunities to K-12 schools, per school predictable data colleges, universities, and graduate • Integration with state and federal • Within K-12 and undergraduate programs to increase access to and testing and required curricula education budgets awareness of space • Reliance on availability of secondary and tertiary payloads may limit opportunities and control • Scheduled events required in advance for promotion and planning MEDIA AND PUBLIC • Space images and associations have • Limited audience for space launches RELATIONS appeal • Commercial launches to date Using space to promote products, • Small existing market for video on have not attracted substantial or increase brand awareness, or film space- parabolic flights mainstream advertising related content • In-space filming competes with CGI animation for low cost and flexibility • Infrastructure and vehicle development required POINT-TO-POINT • Uncertainty about regulatory TRANSPORTATION • Reduced air-time for transportation of requirements Future transportation of cargo or humans cargo or humans • Global overnight possible with between different locations “merely” supersonics • Air-time not the driver of total travel time

• 38 • U.S. Commercial Suborbital Vehicles and Spaceports • Conclusion

COnClusion

Suborbital launch operations have been Some companies are already testing or primarily in the government sector, preparing to test vehicles over the next year. supporting missile tests and scientific This publication serves as a primer for work. Recently, however, there has been an an upcoming suborbital market forecast increased interest in commercial suborbital that will build forecasts of international spaceflight, stimulated by the emergence demand for reusable suborbital spaceflight of new markets and the development of services over a 10-year timeline. This new commercial suborbital RLVs. Interest study will provide a forecast for each of is building in the emerging areas of basic the seven markets identified earlier in this and applied research; aerospace technology report. This forecast data will lay a solid test and demonstration; remote sensing; foundation to support policy decisions and education; media and public relations; business planning and will provide reliable commercial human spaceflight; and point- data to fill the current gap in space industry to-point transportation. Studies show knowledge about how reusable suborbital that for space tourism, customer demand markets will unfold. This forecast report is building. With high public interest will be introduced in Spring 2012. The in space travel and new vehicles under first forecast will be a collaborative effort construction, companies and government between FAA/AST and Space Florida. clients are pushing the commercial suborbital industry forward at a rapid pace.

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