Main Engine Cut OffDARPA pushing new effort with Experimental Spaceplane, XS-1
Great, encyclopedic rundown of an interesting program by Chris Gebhardt on NASASpaceflight:
According to the DARPA presentation, the XS-1 project carries four prioritized goals: the design of a reusable booster system with launch costs traceable to <$5M/flight; to fly the booster 10 times in 10 days; to demonstrate an immediate payload to orbit capability with cost traceability to the Operational System; and to enable routine, low-cost space access.
DARPA seems to be handling the creation of this vehicle the right way:
According to the presentation, “To facilitate commercialization, DARPA wants to transfer title of the XS-1 vehicle to industry, but industry needs to offer a plan that provides ‘consideration in kind’ justifying transfer of title.
To this end, DARPA states that each proposal for development should address such commercial planning elements as: understanding of the current and projected market demands as well as “core customer needs by market segment” and how each company’s XS-1 design will address these needs.
By making this something that the company would own, you get a vehicle that must have applications outside of this contract, so it will turn out to be much more useful and viable into the future.