Commercial Spaceflight Companies Could this be your ticket to space? 200, Amt: Courtesy of Spaceport America Image credit Virgin Galactic

Commercial Spaceflight Companies Spaceport America Spaceport America (located near Las Cruces, New Mexico) will be the world’s first commercial spaceport designed for manned and unmanned spaceflight. Commercial spaceflight companies tentatively planning to operate out of Spaceport America, are Virgin Galactic and Up Aerospace. Courtesy of Spaceport America Your Spaceport Courtesy of Spaceport America

Commercial Spaceflight Companies White Knight Two Aircraft The first WhiteKnightTwo, christened VMS Eve after Richard Branson's mother, was revealed to the public for the first time in July It is the largest all carbon composite aircraft ever built. It has the capability to carry heavy payloads (around 35,0000lbs) to high altitude (around 50,000ft) and the ability to perform zero g maneuvers and has a range of 2000 nautical miles. Image credit Virgin Galactic White Knight Two with Spaceship two in launch configuration Image credit Virgin Galactic

Commercial Spaceflight Companies White Knight Two Aircraft Image credit Virgin Galactic

Commercial Spaceflight Companies Image credit Virgin Galactic SpaceShip Two Space Ship Two uses all the same basic technology, carbon composite construction and design as SpaceShipOne. However it is around twice as large as that vehicle and will carry six passengers and two pilots

Commercial Spaceflight Companies Image credit Virgin Galactic Technical Specifications of Spaceship Two Spaceship Two is an air launched glider (launched from White Knight Two) with a rocket motor and a couple of extra systems for spaceflight. Just like any aircraft, it requires aerodynamic forces to provide stability and control while in the atmosphere. In space, pilots use small thrusters known as the reaction control system (RCS) that allow pilots to maneuver the vehicle in space to provide a better view for passenger astronauts.

Commercial Spaceflight Companies The Virgin Galactic Space Ship Enterprise made its first flight on March 22, 2010 with space ship two firmly bolted under the wing of the four-engine Virgin Mothership Eve. Virgin Galactic plans to launch commercial flights beginning in late 2011 or early Image credit Virgin Galactic

Commercial Spaceflight Companies Space X SpaceX headquarters is located in Hawthorne, California Their vehicle manufacturing and design are also located at the Hawthorne, California facility. Engine and large-scale structural testing occurs at a test site in McGregor, Texas. SpaceX also operates launch facilities at the Kwajalein Atoll (Reagan Test Site) in the Marshall Islands, at Cape Canaveral, Florida, and at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. SpaceX also maintains offices in Washington, D.C. Image credit SpaceX

Commercial Spaceflight Companies Space X Length:54.9 m (180 ft) Width:3.6 m (12 ft) Mass (LEO, 5.2m fairing): 333,400 kg (735,000 lb) Mass (GTO, 5.2m fairing): 332,800 kg (733,800 lb) Thrust (vacuum): 4.94 MN (1,110,000 lbf) The Falcon 9 launch vehicle Image credit SpaceX

Commercial Spaceflight Companies The Dragon Spacecraft Dragon is a free-flying, reusable spacecraft being developed by SpaceX under NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. SpaceX has designed the Dragon spacecraft for transfer of cargo and crew to low earth orbit as well as pressurized or unpressurized cargo. December 2008, NASA announced the selection of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launch vehicle and Dragon spacecraft to resupply the International Space Station (ISS) when the Space Shuttle retires. Space X Image credit SpaceX

Commercial Spaceflight Companies Rocketplane Global Rocketplane Global, Inc. (RGI) was founded in 2001 as a commercial space flight company. Rocketplane opened its first office in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Image credit Rocketplane Global

Commercial Spaceflight Companies Image credit Rocketplane Global Rocketplane XP (mfg. by Rocketplane Global)

Commercial Spaceflight Companies General Characteristics Length: 44 feet Diameter: 5.6 feet GTOW: 20,000 lbs Crew Environment: Pressurized cabin to ~10 psi Payload Capacity: 5 passengers No. of Jet Engines: 2 No. of Rocket Engines: 1 Rocket Propellant: LOX / Kerosene Nominal Rocket Thrust: 36,000 lbs The Rocketplane® XP Vehicle is a six-seat fighter-sized vehicle fitted with a high performance wing and a T-tail which provide good flight characteristics both subsonically and supersonically. The cabin environment is designed to maintain a comfortable temperature and pressure for the occupants while providing an excellent view of the Earth from space. It is constructed with many of the same systems as a normal jet aircraft, but also includes features required for its flight into space including its rocket engine, reaction control system (RCS), and internal air supply. The vehicle is powered by both turbojet engines and a rocket engine, enabling it to accelerate to speeds just over 3,500 feet per second (2,386 miles per hour) and reach altitudes in excess of 330,000 feet (100 kilometers) providing the sensation of weightlessness for three to four minutes! The XP will operate from ordinary airfields within the well-established rules and practices for experimental aircraft. General Characteristics Length: 44 feet Diameter: 5.6 feet GTOW: 20,000 lbs Crew Environment: Pressurized cabin to ~10 psi Payload Capacity: 5 passengers No. Jet Engines: 2 No. of Rocket Engines: 1 Rocket Propellant: LOX / Kerosene Nominal Rocket Thrust: 36,000 lbs Rocketplane XP Image credit Rockeplane Global

Commercial Spaceflight Companies Typical flight path for the Rocketplane XP Image credit Rockeplane Gobal

Commercial Spaceflight Companies The Dreamchaser overall space transportation system based on the NASA HL-20 lifting body spaceplane. Dream Chaser TM, is designed to carry passengers and cargo on sub-orbital and orbital flights, which could including flights to and from the International Space Station. The Dream Chaser TM will provide a safe and affordable solution for commercial space operations, will launch vertically and land horizontally on conventional runways. Image credit SpaceX

Commercial Spaceflight Companies Up Aerospace Corporate UP Aerospace Corporation is a space launch and test flight services provider which offers quick and economical access to space. Using privately funded sources UP Aerospace Corporate created a new low cost sounding rocket named SpaceLoft XL. On April 28, 2007 SpaceLoft XL made its historic first space flight from New Mexico’s Spaceport America Launch Pad One. Up Aerospace Corporate provides services for both government, Commercial and educational projects in schools and universities. UP Aerospace Corporate, engineering and manufacturing offices are in Denver, Colorado with business offices in Connecticut. Launch flight facilities are at New Mexico’s Spaceport America. Image credit Up Aerospace SpaceLoft XL