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Suborbital flight / Model XP specifications
Model XP specifications
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
Takeoff Method: TurboJet Powered Horizontal Takeoff
Altitude at Rocket Ignition: Between 18,000 and 30,000 feet
Orientation at Ignition: Horizontal
Maximum g Force on Ascent: 3 to 4 G
Altitude at Rocket Engine Cut-off: 150,000 feet
Time at Engine Cut-off: 70 seconds
Maximum Speed: Mach 3.5
Minimum Apogee: 330,000 feet
Sensation of Weightlessness: 3-4 minutes
Reentry Method: Ballistic descent
Maximum g Force on Descent: 3 to 4 G
Landing Method: Unpowered, Horizontal Landing
Total Duration: < 1 hour
Landing Distance from Take-off Location: 0 kilometers Time Between Missions: 3 to 5 days | |
