Slower Economy Puts Drag on Rocket Races

The Rocket Racing League has been forced to delay the start of its racing season due to a slower economy and early design flaws in the rockets themselves. But plans are still on for a two-rocket demo at this September's Reno Air Races. More ambitious plans for a race to sub-orbital space had to be postponed even further due to technological and economic concerns.

Last year, the league demonstrated its first-generation racer, equipped with engines from California-based XCOR Aerospace, at the AirVenture show in Oshkosh. This year's time line calls for two Armadillo-powered planes to fly at September's Reno Air Races. "We're going to put on a pretty good show there," Whitelaw said.

Additional demonstration flights may take place after that, but full-blown rocket races with prizes may have to wait until 2011, Whitelaw said. "It's really a matter of waiting for the economy to sort itself out," he said.

....In the meantime, XCOR Aerospace is plugging along on its plans to get its Lynx Mark 1 rocket plane into the test-flight phase by next year. XCOR's CEO, Jeff Greason, told me that the engineering test vehicle was under construction and the rocket engines are undergoing testing.

Greason acknowledged that raising money for rocket ventures was tough in the current economic environment. But then again, he added, "I haven't ever noticed when it was easy."

Although Greason has never announced that there's enough money in the bank to get the Lynx off the ground, XCOR just keeps going, and going, and going. That's thanks in large part to its stealthy ability to leverage the know-how gained through a variety of contracts - including its now-done deal with the Rocket Racing League. _CosmicLog

Sooner or later, we will have rocket races. Atmospheric, sub-orbital, and to the moon. To infinity and beyond may require more advanced technology.