Masten and XCOR have announced a strategic partnership:
Masten’s award winning automated vertical take off, vertical landing (VTVL) flight vehicles combined with XCOR’s strong experience in liquid oxygen (LOX) / methane powered propulsion systems and nonflammable cryogenically compatible composite tanks, brings to NASA a powerful and competitive combination of innovative talent with a proven record of producing exceptional results quickly and affordably.
So does this mean that Masten is going to focus on the vehicles, and let XCOR provide propulsion systems? And is this just for the NASA lunar lander work? Guess I’ll have to talk to Dave and Jeff to find out.
This sounds like a great development. Down the road perhaps they may end up landing people at a lunar base?
All I’ll add here is an enigmatic smile. We’re gonna have a lot of fun with this, and can do some great things.
Doug,
Seconded. 🙂
~Jon
Since I have no first hand knowlege, my guess is that Masten will make a second stage…
And the Masten team just did a rather heartstopping flight, with good results. Congratulations, guys!
Ben Brockert twitted:
“Masten Space Systems just did the first in-air engine relight. It was awesome and heart stopping!”
http://twitter.com/wikkit/status/14777033108
It was impressive to see the vehicle rise to peak, the plume stop, vehicle drop and pitch (from my pov) west, relight, recover with some fast engine slewing, and then six seconds later hear the pause in the distant engine roar. Two heart attacks for the price of one!
Robonauts in Spaaaace!