SpaceDev has announced Scaled Composites has selected them to develop a hybrid motor for SpaceShipTwo in a $15 million contract. The point that SpaceDev was selected (not down-selected) in SpaceShipOne development was 3.25 years before winning the Ansari X-Prize. This is consistent with the duration announced for the development contract for SpaceShipTwo’s rocket motor of “through 2012” with work “primarily completed over the next two years”. SpaceShipTwo will likely burn rubber getting to suborbital space.
2 thoughts on “Scaled Brings in SpaceDev Again”
Comments are closed.
A little history is good to remember. Despite Rutan’s contributions to aviation, Scaled had never built a rocket before SS1. SpaceDev was contracted to build and fuel the composite engine. The fill and dump system for nitrous oxide, ignition system and oxydizer injector were not built by Scaled.
In the wake of SS1’s success Scaled and SpeceDev parted ways. There may have been resentment at Scaled getting all the publicity. After the divorce, Scaled tried to build an engine on their own. The accident of July 007 was the result of nitrous oxide handling. Good to see the couple back together.
Finally a chance to sell SPDV after the PR bounce.