Normally, kit rockets are things you launch while standing safely to one side. Now, a company has announced a hobbyist’s kit jetplane that will actually launch you into orbit.
“Currently the price of getting a satellite into orbit is at least $12 million,” said DeLong. “We think we could cut the price to about half a million dollars,” he added.
XCOR’s supersonic craft might look somewhat similar to the Concorde airliner with a wing form like a Mig-15 or Mig-21. The engine would be a larger version of the one on the EZ-Rocket, said DeLong.
The plane could potentially be ready within two years and ready for operation in three.
(Thanks, Pat!)