Comments on: XCOR shuts down https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/xcor-shuts-down/ Sun, 09 Jul 2017 03:20:41 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: Anthony Domanico https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/xcor-shuts-down/#comment-999599 Sun, 09 Jul 2017 03:20:41 +0000 http://behindtheblack.com/?p=46482#comment-999599 This is a sad thing. I want Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic to succeed, but if XCOR succeeded it may have ushered in a new era when being a billionaire (or being backed by a billionaire) was no longer a prerequisite to starting a successful launch company. I realize at the time Elon Musk wasn’t a billionaire when he founded SpaceX but he still had made a $100 million initial investment.

Now my hope is with Rocket Lab to usher in said era.

]]> By: Robert Zimmerman https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/xcor-shuts-down/#comment-999516 Sat, 08 Jul 2017 17:19:08 +0000 http://behindtheblack.com/?p=46482#comment-999516 In reply to Alex.

Alex: See today’s post on XCOR.

]]> By: Alex https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/xcor-shuts-down/#comment-999446 Sat, 08 Jul 2017 10:57:05 +0000 http://behindtheblack.com/?p=46482#comment-999446 Mr. Zimmerman:

What about XCOR’s upper stage engine contract/work for United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan launch vehicle? Do you have any information?

]]> By: Edward https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/xcor-shuts-down/#comment-999348 Sat, 08 Jul 2017 00:13:29 +0000 http://behindtheblack.com/?p=46482#comment-999348 I grieve for this loss. I thought that XCOR’s spaceplane design seemed efficient, as the wings provide a far more efficient method of lift than rocket thrust alone. I had hoped to see a spaceplane that launches from a runway as well as returns to a runway. That was innovative.

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