Tweet
The Rutan family strikes again....this time Burts brother Dick;
Dr. Mordrid
MOJAVE, California –
XCOR's EZ-Rocket flew into the history books today. The craft made a record-setting point-to-point flight, departing here from the Mojave California Spaceport, gliding to a touchdown at a neighboring airport in California City.
The rocket plane was piloted by Dick Rutan, no stranger to milestone-making voyages. In 1986, Rutan was co-pilot on the Voyager airplane that made the first nonstop, around-the-world flight without refueling.
The EZ-Rocket is a modified Long-EZ homebuilt aircraft. The vehicle is propelled by twin 400-pound thrust, regeneratively cooled rocket engines and fueled by isopropyl alcohol and liquid oxygen.
The EZ-Rocket is able to stop and restart its engines in mid-flight, as well as perform rocket-powered touch-and-goes on a runway.
Down and safe
With Rutan at the controls, the EZ-Rocket lifted off at 11:40 a.m. local time. The craft touched down at the California City airport – about 10 miles northeast of Mojave – some nine minutes later.
Stashed onboard the EZ-Rocket were four pouches of mail, a bill with a check attached, letters from around the world, and other items.
"He's down and safe," said Jeff Greason, XCOR's chief executive officer.
XCOR's EZ-Rocket flew into the history books today. The craft made a record-setting point-to-point flight, departing here from the Mojave California Spaceport, gliding to a touchdown at a neighboring airport in California City.
The rocket plane was piloted by Dick Rutan, no stranger to milestone-making voyages. In 1986, Rutan was co-pilot on the Voyager airplane that made the first nonstop, around-the-world flight without refueling.
The EZ-Rocket is a modified Long-EZ homebuilt aircraft. The vehicle is propelled by twin 400-pound thrust, regeneratively cooled rocket engines and fueled by isopropyl alcohol and liquid oxygen.
The EZ-Rocket is able to stop and restart its engines in mid-flight, as well as perform rocket-powered touch-and-goes on a runway.
Down and safe
With Rutan at the controls, the EZ-Rocket lifted off at 11:40 a.m. local time. The craft touched down at the California City airport – about 10 miles northeast of Mojave – some nine minutes later.
Stashed onboard the EZ-Rocket were four pouches of mail, a bill with a check attached, letters from around the world, and other items.
"He's down and safe," said Jeff Greason, XCOR's chief executive officer.
Comment