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ROCKET RACING LEAGUE COMPLETES
SUCCESSFUL FLIGHT TEST CAMPAIGN AT OKLAHOMA SPACEPORT
Rocket Racer Flies Record Seven
Times in Four Days
New York, NY-September 4, 2008-The Rocket Racing
League today announced the successful results
of the first seven test flights of the Bridenstine
DKNY Rocket Racer conducted at the Oklahoma Spaceport
(OKSP), a leading facility specializing in horizontal
take-off and landing of Reusable Launch Vehicles,
in Burns Flat, Oklahoma.
The Bridenstine DKNY Rocket Racer
vehicle, now equipped with liquid oxygen (LOX)-alcohol
engines manufactured by Armadillo Aerospace, a
leading developer of reusable rocket powered vehicles
based in Mesquite, Texas, underwent an aggressive
flight test campaign designed to validate static
and dynamic airframe and engine stability throughout
its entire operating envelope.
"The successful conclusion
of this flight test campaign marks two important
milestones for the League, allowing us to proceed
on our planned schedule of exhibition race events
throughout the remainder of 2008 and 2009 and
also validating our rapid prototyping capability
in bringing new and innovative rocket powered
vehicles from concept to flight inside of a six
month development period," said Granger Whitelaw,
Rocket Racing League Co-Founder and Chief Executive
Officer.
"We are thrilled to have been
selected as the facility of choice by the Rocket
Racing League for its initial flight test program,"
said Bill Khourie, Executive Director of the Oklahoma
Space Industry Development Authority (OSIDA).
"The Oklahoma Spaceport provided the League
with a qualified facility including a runway of
almost three miles in length, hangar facilities,
safety officials, air traffic control, and other
support staff and housing. It was a major milestone
in our evolution as we played an instrumental
role in the incredibly successful flights of the
Rocket Racer to altitudes in excess of 12,000
feet."
"The Oklahoma Spaceport and its staff have
proven to be a highly valuable asset to the Rocket
Racing League," said Michael D'Angelo, Rocket
Racing League Chief Technology Officer. "We've
made great progress in rapidly moving from static
engine tests, to powered taxis, and now, through
collaboration with OKSP, we've successfully completed
our R&D up-and-away flights of the Bridenstine
DKNY Rocket Racer."
Videos and photographs of the Rocket Racer test
flights are available for download and viewing
at the following FTP site:
Domain: rocketracingleague.ipower.com
Username: press_ftp
Password: pressmaterials
NOTE: You will need an FTP Client Program to
access site
For more information or to find a schedule of
future Rocket Racing League events, visit www.RocketRacingLeague.com.
About The Rocket Racing League
Founded in 2005 by two-time Indianapolis 500
winning team partner Granger Whitelaw and X PRIZE
Chairman and CEO Peter H. Diamandis, MD, the Rocket
Racing League (RRL ) is a new entertainment sports
league that combines the exhilaration of racing
with the power of rocket engines. To be held at
venues across the country, the Rocket Racing League
will feature multiple races pitting up to 10 Rocket
Racers going head to head in a 4-lap, multiple
elimination heat format on a 5-mile "Formula
One"-like closed circuit raceway in the sky.
For more information on the Rocket Racing League,
please visit www.rocketracingleague.com.
About The Oklahoma Spaceport
Specializing in air-launch / horizontal landing
and horizontal take-off and landing of Reusable
Launch Vehicles (RLVs) this launch site became
the first U.S. inland spaceport with an established
flight corridor for space operations in the national
airspace system clear of military operating areas
or restricted airspace. This arrangement means
that space vehicles will not need military permission
to operate because the spaceport will have its
own airspace making the Oklahoma Spaceport ideal
for the development of rocket powered vehicles.
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