FutureSpaceTourist
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We don't seem to have any specific information on XCOR and their Lynx spaceplane, so I thought I'd try and correct that omission. As development progresses more can be added to this thread.
Although Virgin Galactic and SpaceShipTwo get much of the media attention, XCOR and Lynx also hold a lot of potential and IMHO will be the second operational system for space tourism after Virgin.
Lynx is a HTHL spaceplane with liquid rocket engines. The Lynx Mark I is a prototype currently in development that will carry a pilot and one passenger to about 200,000ft / 61km. The subsequent Mark II will go above 328,000ft / 100 km altitude. Although the Lynx is not big enough to allow floating around the cabin in the weightless environment, it does have large wraparound cabin windows to provide an almost uninterrupted view.
There's a great Lynx animation:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3a-l1tb1rPg
Some basic information and references can be found on Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynx_rocketplane/
Details of a recent deal between XCOR and South Korea are at http://www.xcor.com/press-releases/2009/09-12-17_South_Korean_Space_Center_Selects_XCOR_and_LYNX_for_Suborbital.html. This deal should ensure that the development of the Mark II is fully-funded, subject to regulatory approval.
The first attached PDF contains further details of Lynx's capabilities, presented by XCOR at the recent (Feb 10) suborbital researchers conference.
The second attachment is slides from the FAA Commercial Space conference, also in February. Slide 6 is interesting as it gives an indication of how low the Lynx costs might be. I'm guessing the 'best competitor' on the slide is a reference to Virgin Galactic.
Although Virgin Galactic and SpaceShipTwo get much of the media attention, XCOR and Lynx also hold a lot of potential and IMHO will be the second operational system for space tourism after Virgin.
Lynx is a HTHL spaceplane with liquid rocket engines. The Lynx Mark I is a prototype currently in development that will carry a pilot and one passenger to about 200,000ft / 61km. The subsequent Mark II will go above 328,000ft / 100 km altitude. Although the Lynx is not big enough to allow floating around the cabin in the weightless environment, it does have large wraparound cabin windows to provide an almost uninterrupted view.
There's a great Lynx animation:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3a-l1tb1rPg
Some basic information and references can be found on Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynx_rocketplane/
Details of a recent deal between XCOR and South Korea are at http://www.xcor.com/press-releases/2009/09-12-17_South_Korean_Space_Center_Selects_XCOR_and_LYNX_for_Suborbital.html. This deal should ensure that the development of the Mark II is fully-funded, subject to regulatory approval.
The first attached PDF contains further details of Lynx's capabilities, presented by XCOR at the recent (Feb 10) suborbital researchers conference.
The second attachment is slides from the FAA Commercial Space conference, also in February. Slide 6 is interesting as it gives an indication of how low the Lynx costs might be. I'm guessing the 'best competitor' on the slide is a reference to Virgin Galactic.
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