Rocketplanes Chief Test Pilot and Director of Operations, John B Herrington is a former NASA Astronaut with over 330 hours in space, including 3 EVA's totalling 19 hours and 55 minutes with the Space Shuttle. It is our company philosophy that we aim to be the best and offer the best quality of Space Flight Experience and who better than a top professional to ensure you receive this.

The technological feasibility of a sub-orbital spaceplane traces back more than 40 years with the success of the X-15. The X-15 was a joint program of NASA, the Air Force, the Navy, and North American Aviation. It successfully reached an altitude of 67 miles and achieved a speed of Mach 6.7.

Rocketplane Limited has built on this knowledge and, with recent advances in computer and material sciences, developed the capability to build a cost-effective sub-orbital vehicle. The company has selected key partners with decades of experience working with NASA, the Department of Defense, and the aerospace industry in airframe design, thermal protection systems, and advanced propulsion.

Rocketplane Limited has advanced the Rocketplane XP vehicle to the full design phase after years of internal vehicle development. The Rocketplane XP program is underway with a 30-month project schedule to achieve operation. With a defined market potential and confidence in its technological capability, Rocketplane Limited has the management team and business strategy to bring its vision to reality.

The Rocketplane XP Vehicle is a four-seat fighter-sized vehicle fitted with a delta wing and a V-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 thermal protection system, the wing propellant tanks, and other systems are designed with the possibility of eventual upgrade so that the option for a longer-range aircraft can be realized in the future without the need for expensive reinvestment.

The XP will operate from ordinary airfields within the well-established rules and practices for experimental aircraft.

General Characteristics:
Length: 43 feet
Diameter: 5 feet
GTOW: 19,500 lbs
Dry Weight: 8,500 lbs
Crew Environment: Pressurized cabin to ~10 psi
Payload Capacity: 950 lbs
No. Jet Engines: 2
No. of Rocket Engines: 1
Rocket Propellant: LOX / Kerosene
Nominal Rocket Thrust: 36,000 lbs