Page 4 - Aerotech News and Review, October 16, 2020

MOJAVE, from 3
16, lasted 2 minutes and 30 seconds, and reaching an altitude of 20 XCOR developed a number of engines, including versions
feet. More powerful rotor tip thrusters had been installed, which flown on a modified Long-EZ airplane called EZ-Rocket.
made the sustained flight possible. In 2001, XCOR designed and built the EZ-Rocket using a Rutan
The third and final flight was on Oct. 12, and the ATV reached Long EZ as the main airframe. It was the first privately built and
a speed of 53 miles per hour, at 75-feet above the ground and flown rocket-powered airplane. EZ-Rocket made its maiden flight
flew almost half way down runway 30. It flew close to one mile, in July 2001.
at 4,300-feet. On Dec. 3, 2005, famous test pilot, Dick Rutan, set a world
Safety considerations and funding issues canceled all future test record in the rocket-powered EZ-Rocket, taking off from Mojave
flights, but dreams of space flight from Mojave Airport lived on. Airport and landing at California City Airport. He carried U.S.
mail from the post office in Mojave to addresses in California City.
On May 9, 2003, the Rotary Rocket Roton ATV (Atmospheric This was the first time that a manned, rocket-powered aircraft was
Test Vehicle) was slung under the U.S. Army Reserve CH-47 he-
used to carry U.S. Mail.
After years of developing the Lynx Spaceplane, in 2016 the
company re-focused their goals and pivoted the company focus
toward development its LOX/LH2 engine technology, particularly
The EZ-Rocket, built by XCOR Aerospace, made its maiden flight on a funded project for United Launch Alliance.
at the Mojave Air and Space Port in July 2001. After a move to Texas, a change in leadership, many layoffs and
licopter to be flown to its new home at Classic Rotors Museum the original founders leaving the firm, the company filed Chapter
on Ramona Airport near San Diego. The rotors had been taken off 7 Bankruptcy in November 2017.
and had already been transported to the museum. Even though
There were some exciting moments when the Roton started os- some people con-
cillating laterally in the 35-knot wind, to the point of discontinuing sider these pro-
the flight. The Chinook crew decided that the oscillations of the grams to be fail-
Roton would make the flight to Ramona impossible and returned ures, the future of
it to the airport ramp, next to XCOR Aerospace hangar, the commercial
When lowering the Roton back to the ground, the helicopter space industry is
came down a little too suddenly above the aerial test vehicle and alive and well at
a hole was punctured in the bottom of the Chinook. Mojave Air and
Al Hansen was flying one of his UH-1H helicopters with a Space Port.
couple of local photographers on board. If everything proceeded
as planned, Brian Binnie, original Roton co-pilot, was going to
join Al in the Huey for the flight to Ramona.
The Rotary Rocket Roton is now on permanent display in Leg-
acy Park at the Mojave Air and Space Port.
Not to be thwarted by the conclusion of Rotary Rocket,
Photographs by Mike Massee Dick Rutan with the
A Chinook helicopter transports the ATV at the Mojave Air and former employees, Jeff Greason, Dan DeLong, Aleta Jack- rocket engine used
son and Doug Jones founded XCOR Aerospace in 1999 at
Space Port. on the EZ-Rocket.
Mojave Airport.

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