Today XCOR Aerospace announced
that it has successfully completed multiple test firings of their new
LOX/kerosene rocket engine, the XR-4K5. The new engine is considerably more
powerful than the previous Isopropyl Alcohol fueled rocket engine used in the
EZ-Rocket. The new engine produces 1,800 pounds of thrust, and runs at two
and a half times the chamber pressure of the previous engine.
According to Dan DeLong, XCOR Chief Engineer: “This is XCOR’s first engine
designed to run on liquid oxygen and kerosene. The initial tests are in the
heat sink configuration, and we expect to develop it further into a
regenerative cooled version.” DeLong stated: “The XR-4K5 also uses our most
recent electrical igniter design that is smaller and lighter than previous
generations.”
Jeff Greason, XCOR CEO said: “We are very excited about the new engine
since it moves us closer to our goal of a reliable and economical vehicle for
space tourism as well as educational and commercial uses. The more powerful
engine and use of readily available fuels is a notable development in
reliability and cost control of operating suborbital vehicles. XCOR is
developing the XR-4K5 for future applications, including the propulsion system
for the Xerus project.”
The Xerus (pronunciation: zEr’us) project is a joint marketing agreement
between XCOR Aerospace and Space Adventures, Ltd., that provides Space
Adventures the first 600 flights to 62 miles (100 km) altitude aboard XCOR’s
Xerus sub-orbital vehicle, designed specifically for space tourist flights.
According to a recent study by the Futon Corp., a Bethesda, MD aerospace
consulting firm, the space travel market could generate revenues of over
$1 billion annually by 2021.
XCOR Aerospace is a California corporation located in Mojave, California.
The company is in the business of developing and producing safe, reliable and
reusable rocket engines and rocket powered vehicles.
