posted 10-24-2008 02:26 PM               

Rocket Racing, Armadillo Aerospace And New Mexico Create Joint Venture To Launch Suborbital Space Business

Space took a giant leap closer to earth today, following the launch of a new joint venture between Rocket Racing, Inc. (RRI), Armadillo Aerospace and the government of New Mexico.

With a goal of sending adventurers into suborbital space with a target price of $100,000 per ticket or less, the three companies unveiled plans to field a fleet of reusable Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) vehicles (RLV) that will take flight from Spaceport America near Las Cruces, New Mexico.

Each ship is slated to provide a cabin where passengers can float weightless with a 360-degree view of space.

To date, other companies in the commercial space industry have promised rides to similar altitudes featuring small porthole-sized views for more than $200,000.

"I am honored that Rocket Racing, Inc. and Armadillo Aerospace have chosen New Mexico to set up shop," said Governor Bill Richardson. "Spaceport America and the State of New Mexico are proud partners and together we are writing the next chapter of space transportation."

Under the terms of the partnership, Armadillo Aerospace will develop the reusable launch vehicles and provide ground support and equipment. The State of New Mexico will supply launch facility infrastructure and resources. Rocket Racing Technology Development, a wholly owned subsidiary of Rocket Racing Inc., will provide financing for, and business and operational management of, the partnership. Reservations, experience marketing, customer training and the coordination of the passengers' overall experience will be managed exclusively by a third partner company that will be announced when marketing efforts begin.

"The price of space is coming down to earth," said Granger Whitelaw, Chief Executive Officer of Rocket Racing, Inc. "And thanks to Armadillo's ships and New Mexico's spaceport, human beings will be treated to the most stellar views in the galaxy."

While the venture owes its wings to technologies that have spent decades in development, its launch is made possible only through their recent combination. Armadillo's eight years of research and development on a dozen different flying vehicles is contributing engines, software, and operational capabilities. Meanwhile, the company's ground and flight test programs for the Rocket Racing League over the past year has resulted in flight research data that will be applied to allow for superior vehicle tracking and passenger safety.

Beyond suborbital space tourism, Rocket Racing Inc. also plans to deploy its vehicles to serve in a variety of payload transport initiatives. Target missions include micro-gravity experiments, astrophysics observations, reconnaissance and high-altitude scientific and meteorological measurements.

The companies plan to fly evolutions of existing vehicles to space and fabricate an initial manned vehicle prototype in 2009 and perform initial manned flights to space in 2010.

About The Rocket Racing League

Founded in 2005 by two-time Indianapolis 500 winning team partner Granger Whitelaw and X PRIZE Chairman and CEO Peter H. Diamandis, MD, the Rocket Racing League (RRL) is a new entertainment sports league that combines the exhilaration of racing with the power of rocket engines. To be held at venues across the country, the Rocket Racing League will feature multiple races pitting up to 10 Rocket Racers going head to head in a 4-lap, multiple elimination heat format on a 5-mile "Formula One"-like closed circuit raceway in the sky.

About Armadillo Aerospace

Founded in 2000 by video game pioneer John Carmack, Armadillo Aerospace has been working to bring the dynamism of software development to aerospace projects. With over a hundred VTVL flights across many different vehicle architectures, and more FAA licensed experimental permit flights than the rest of the industry combined, the Armadillo team has amassed a unique body of experience on their path towards manned spaceflight.

posted 04-29-2010 02:52 PM               

Space Adventures Announces Exclusive Marketing Agreement with Armadillo Aerospace

Space Adventures, Ltd., the only company currently providing human space mission opportunities to the world marketplace, today announced that the company has entered into an exclusive marketing agreement with Armadillo Aerospace, LLC, a leading developer of reusable rocket powered vehicles. Space Adventures will exclusively market and sell commercial passenger experiences on Armadillo Aerospace's future suborbital spaceflight vehicles that are currently in development.

"I am very pleased to announce Space Adventures' agreement with Armadillo. I plan to provide more details next month at ISDC on the reasons why we chose Armadillo as our partner and how we envision this as a critical turning point for public access to space," said Eric Anderson, president and CEO of Space Adventures.

"A decade of research and development has gotten us to the point where we can credibly talk about commercial passenger experiences. Everything is coming together - there is enough clarity in the technical, regulatory, and market factors that it is the right time to form a solid partnership with Space Adventures to help us take things through to commercial operation," said John Carmack, president and CTO of Armadillo Aerospace.

Mr. Anderson will address ISDC 2010 attendees on May 27 at 11:15 a.m. (CDT). His speech will also be posted to Space Adventures' home page no later than May 28.

posted 10-20-2010 06:52 PM               

The reason for Lazutkin's session with reporters was not to discuss the cosmonauts' drinking habits, but to announce the winner of a passenger ticket on Armadillo Aerospace's suborbital spacecraft, arranged through the Virginia-based Space Adventures travel company. Evgeny Kovalev of St. Petersburg won the ticket in a contest sponsored by the Efes brewery, and became Armadillo's first confirmed passenger.

Space Adventures' Russian representative, Sergei Kostenko, said the current plan called for Armadillo's craft to have its first piloted test flight in 2012. Passengers would be put on board after five or six additional test flights, he was quoted as saying in a RIA Novosti report. He also said about 200 applicants are on the list for the $102,000-per-person space tour packages.