A Rocket Engine for the Masses
Tuesday, May 13, 2008 - 11:28
in Physics & Chemistry
Viper Cost to Develop: $250,000Time: 2 yearsPrototype | | | | | Product If we’re ever going to see a true era of commercial space travel—a day when Virgin Galactic is just another spaceline—Tim Bendel believes we need a better rocket engine. Specifically, something that is to the space industry what the internal combustion engine was to the nascent car industry a century ago: a standard, off-the-shelf option that can power any manner of vehicle, from tourist ship to lunar lander. And it has to be affordable to companies not owned by billionaire Richard Branson. read more