DC-X Flight 8

On July 7, 1995 a rocket known as the Delta Clipper Experimental (DC-X) launched into the sky. This is the world's first fully reusable rocket vehicle. Flight 8 proved that the vehicle could turn over into a re-entry profile and re-orient itself for landing. This flight took place at the White Sands Missile Range in southern New Mexico.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• DC-X
• Delta
• Clipper
• Experimental
• rocket
• space
• travel
• White
• Sands
• Missile
• Range
• New
• Mexico

[bitpart2]

incredible!!! had been looking for this-so amazing hard to believe it worked and was shelved-dark forces @ work i suppose

[sconiglio]

Nope. It was just a "small" government project that couldn't find a home. Started with SDIO, then when it became BMDO they dropped it. My friends at the Space Frontier Foundation lobbied hard to find a new sponsor. Project moved to DARPA briefly, then to... NASA of all places!

[Membrane556]

It's a real shame they killed this program it was very promising.

It took years for this feat to be replicated by companies like Armadillo and Blue Origin.

I think if they continued with the DCY we would have had an operational orbital vehicle by now.

BTW google project Selena a vehicle like DCY also can go to to moon with orbital refueling and fuel depots.

I heard Buzz Aldrin was on this project.

[MeoithTheSecond]

@bitpart2 most likely id say.

[MeoithTheSecond]

@sconiglio Yes NASA of all places, then it mysteriously on its first flight crashed on landing then of all things failed to get funds to be rebuilt.

Nicely played id say.

[Skytroop]

@Starwing1272 Absolutely! In fact it was his concept and project.

[dimvoly]

where to buy?

[Starwing1272]

I wish this could have really gotten going, would have been a great program. Did anyone know that Apollo 12 commander Pete Conrad worked on the DC-X?

[terrasaur51]

@johnsmdm perhaps so but, the idea is fantastic & flies as is. A better mouse-trap is all ways possible.

[terrasaur51]

How can we not love this thing? This makes the Shuttle look primitive as hell! I wish we had a space program to use it!

[johnsmdm]

can this vehicle acheive escape velocity sir, and what is its top speed...the landing seems in can be improved too....