[amsat-bb] yet another launch vehicle project

[Franklin Antonio <antonio@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Full article at <http://www.space.com/spacenews/archive02/webarch_111802.html>

Start Excerpt <<<<<
WASHINGTON — Elon Musk, a 31-year-old Internet entrepreneur who amassed a 
sizable fortune during the dot.com boom, has set his sights on building a 
rocket.

...a two-stage, kerosene-fueled expendable specifically designed to 
undercut Orbital Sciences Corp.’s air-launched Pegasus vehicle in the 
market for the handful of small payloads the U.S. government needs launched 
each year.

Musk’s pitch?  Roughly speaking, 470 kilograms to low Earth orbit for less 
than $10 million ...

"I’m looking everywhere for someone who has a hanger queen [needing to 
fly]," Gurevich said. "We are also offering an inexpensive way for a 
commercial entity to test out an untested spacecraft bus."
...
first main engine test-firing this winter....vehicle fully assembled by June.
...
End Excerpt >>>>>

Read the full article at space.com .

One of the funniest comments in the article...
"The Russian vehicles aren’t having all that much success in part because 
they are not good marketers and don’t know where to look for customers," 
said Marco Caceres, space analyst at the Teal Group.

Gee, are we sure it isn't because they blow up a satellite or two every few 
years?

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