Recently in Commercial human spaceflight Category

This is the first-stage of the Falcon I flight model five and in the distance is its upper stage

credit: spaceX

Speaking to journalists after his speech at the Royal Aeronautical Society in London on 3 July, Space Exporation Technologies chief executive Elon Musk talked about his ideas for a circumlunar flight service

Space Exploration Technologies chief executive Elon Musk spoke at the UK's Royal Aeronautical Society in London on the evening of the 3 July

The approximately 10min speech was entitled "What is Needed to Extend Life Permanently Beyond Earth?" Musk also reviewed SpaceX's progress. There were no pictures or video

There then followed about a 60min question and answer session. The audio recording of both the speech and Q&A can be found in the extended entry of this blog post

credit: Starchaser Industries

In line with the embargo its 1 July so here are the UK's Starchaser Industries' Nova 2 rocket pictures. Amusingly Clark Lindsey, while kindly linking to my blog post with related pictures, managed to find this link to the rocket's pictures on Starchaser's own website. Something to think about for media management for anybody out there, website porosity...

Click on the image here and those in the extended portion to see larger versions

One time British X-Prize team Starchaser Industries, with offices in the UK and near the spaceport-to-be New Mexico's Spaceport America, is to unveil its new rocket on 1 July, which it claims will be the UK's largest when it launches from the island nation in September 2009


credit: Starchaser Industries / caption: this graphic shows the rocket's capsule and LES

Xcor Aerospace has progressed further with its Lynx single stage to suborbit vehicle mock-up since I visited the company and here are the latest pictures

OK I admit it is just a mock-up but at least it gives you an indication of the size of the vehicle and a view of the inside of Xcor Aerospace's hangar at Mojave air and spaceport

The Rotary Rocket will greet you at the sort of entrance to Mojave air and spaceport, the USA's first in-land spaceport. Last week I found myself at the air and spaceport visiting various people as part of my California trip - I flew back into London this morning

 

This Dassault Aviation video gives a good overview of how its Vehicule Reutillsable Aeroporte (VEHRA)/Airbus launch system would operate to launch satellites. For images and information about the suborbital manned version of VEHRA and Black Diamond, presented here at the International Academy of Astronautics' symposium on private human access to space, click through to the extended portion