Texas Gov. Rick Perry flanked by XCOR officials in front of a full-scale mockup of the Lynx space plane in Midland. (Credit: Gov. Rick Perry’s Office)
Mywesttexas.com has an update on Midland’s application for a spaceport license:
It has been almost a year since Midland International Airport staff started the process to obtain a spaceport license from the Federal Aviation Administration, and the license is still out of reach.
This just in from Mywesttexas.com: The Midland City Council approved the nearly $4 million purchase of land by the Midland Development Corp. for land for north of Midland International Airport, a move expected to aid the city as it tries to obtain a spaceport designation. The 374 acres is located north of the airport near Farm-to-Market Road 1788 between Highways 191 and 158. The deal is not to exceed $4.01 […]
XCOR CEO Jeff Greason inspects the Lynx main engine after a hotfire test while Chief Test Engineer Doug Jones looks on. (Credit: XCOR)
Hi everyone.
I’m beginning to catch up on a lot of back posts from the Space Access and Planetary Defense Conferences I attended in Arizona. I was mostly Tweeting those events, so my blogging suffered a bit. I also wasn’t feeling all that well in Phoenix, so my Space Access output wasn’t up to what it was in previous conferences. I was pretty disappointed with what I was able to put out there for you all to read. Fortunately, I was feeling better by the time I got to Flagstaff.
We’ll start out with an overview of XCOR CEO Jeff Greason’s talk. Greason gave a very detailed and candid overview of progress on the Lynx suborbital space plane, which the company is hoping to get into the air late this year. He also touched upon the company’s move to Midland, the fully reusable orbital system XCOR is working on, and engine development work it is doing with United Launch Alliance.
Additional material will follow as I get caught up on my posts.
XCOR CEO Jeff Greason inspects the Lynx main engine after a hotfire test while Chief Test Engineer Doug Jones looks on. (Credit: XCOR)
Here are a couple of updates from SXC on the progress of XCOR’s Lynx program. In the first update, SXC Founder Harry van Hulten reports on his recent visit to XCOR in Mojave. The second update provides some more general information about XCOR.
Harry van Hulten Visits XCOR
I visited XCOR recently and was again impressed by the amount of progress. XCOR recently reached a historic milestone by completing a series of rocket motor tests, which evaluated one full pump fed rocket motor mounted on a flight weight fuselage and engine thrust structure in the Lynx Mark I configuration. The last test in the series included a 67 second run, which was successfully completed. The 67 seconds was the maximum amount of time achievable with the smaller test liquid oxygen (LOX) tank.
The Texas spaceflight informed consent law would be significantly expanded to provide significantly greater protections for spaceflight operators, manufacturers and component suppliers under legislation now making its way through the State Legislature.
The bill is one of three measures being considered by lawmakers during this session. The other two measures would clarify the liability of municipalities and add a commercial spaceflight representative to the state’s Aviation Advisory Committee.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry and XCOR Chief Pilot Rick Searfoss examine a mockup of the Lynx. (Credit: XCOR)
DALLAS, July 13, 2012 (USRA PR) — The United States Rocket Academy welcomed this week’s announcement that XCOR Aerospace will establish a new Commercial Space Research and Development Center in Midland, Texas.
“Texas is on the verge of becoming the Space State,” said United States Rocket Academy chairman Edward Wright. “XCOR will be the fourth company testing fully reusable suborbital rocketships in Texas.”
Video Caption: Gov. Rick Perry joined XCOR Aerospace and the Midland Development Corp. to announce the creation of XCOR’s new Commercial Space Research and Development Center headquarters at the Midland International Airport. XCOR develops and produces reusable launch vehicles, rocket engines and rocket propulsion systems, and will create 100 jobs at this new facility.
Gov. Rick Perry welcomes XCOR to Texas.
Prepared Remarks of Gov. Rick Perry
Midland, Texas
July 9, 2012
This is a great day for Midland and a huge step forward for the State of Texas.
We couldn’t be happier to welcome XCOR to the Lone Star State, and we couldn’t be prouder to be home to their new Research and Development center.
This is a tremendous accomplishment for the Midland economic community, from the Economic Development Corp, to the folks here at Midland International Airport.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry welcomes XCOR to Midland. (Credit: Griffin Communications Group)
MIDLAND, Texas (Office of Gov. Perry PR) — Gov. Rick Perry joined XCOR Aerospace and the Midland Development Corp. to announce the creation of XCOR’s new Commercial Space Research and Development Center headquarters at the Midland International Airport. XCOR develops and produces reusable launch vehicles, rocket engines and rocket propulsion systems, and will create 100 jobs at this new facility.
“This is a great day for Midland and a huge step forward for the State of Texas. Visionary companies, like XCOR, continue to choose Texas because they know that innovation is fueled by freedom,” Gov. Perry said. “Whether on the cutting edge of biotech, communications, commerce or privatized efforts to serve the needs of the next generation of space explorers, you can find Texas at the forefront of the movement.”
