XCOR EZ-Rocket
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The XCOR EZ-Rocket is a test platform for the XCOR rocket propulsion system. The plane is a modified Rutan Long-EZ, with the propeller replaced by first one, then a pair of pressure-fed regeneratively cooled liquid-fuelled rocket engines and an underslung rocket-fuel tank. The engines are restartable in flight, and are contained within Kevlar armour shielding for safety reasons. The EZ-Rocket is registered as an Experimental Aircraft.
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[edit] Development and history
First flight took place on July 21, 2001, flown by test pilot Dick Rutan.
On a typical flight, the EZ-Rocket takes off on rockets, gains altitude for a minute or so, then switches off the rockets and glides to a 'dead stick' landing.
The vehicle actually flies better during 'dead stick'/glide landings than a Long-EZ due to lack of drag from a stationary pusher prop — the vehicle's aerodynamics are 'cleaner', in spite of its belly tank. It is also lighter due to the lack of an internal combustion engine (the rocket propulsion system is significantly lighter), so enjoys significantly lower wing loading than a stock Long-EZ.
XCOR registered it as a conventional aircraft, rather than a suborbital. The vehicle has a thrust/weight ratio below 1, so doesn't meet the current definition of suborbital (but the vehicle predated the definition anyway.)
[edit] Milestones and records
- October 8, 2000 - First firing of an XCOR Aerospace LOX-powered rocket engine.[1]
- July 21, 2001 - First flight, flown by Dick Rutan (single-engine configuration).[1]
- October 6, 2001 - First flight in twin-engine configuration.[1]
- July 24, 2002 - First touch-and-go of a rocket powered aircraft (world record).[1]
- December 3, 2005 - Set the point-to-point distance record for a ground-launched, rocket-powered aircraft, flying 16km from Mojave to California City in just under 10 minutes, flown by Dick Rutan).[2][3]
- December 15, 2005 - First arrival of a rocket-powered aircraft at the Mojave Spaceport on a flight originating at another airport, return flight from California City, piloted by Rick Searfoss).[2]
[edit] Derivatives
The Rocket Racing League aircraft in development is a design descendant of the EZ-Rocket aircraft. The RRL aircraft will use a Velocity SE as the basic airframe, with new rocket engines burning kerosene instead of isopropyl alcohol fuel. XCOR has used both design and operational experience from the EZ-Rocket in the RRL rocket aircraft design.
[edit] Specification
- Two 400 lbf (1.8 kN) thrust rocket engines (non throttleable, restartable in flight)
- 20 sec 500m takeoff roll
- Vne = 195kt
- climb rate = 52m/s (10,000 ft/min)
- maximum altitude = 10,000 ft
- Fuel : isopropyl alcohol and liquid oxygen
- Chamber pressure : ~ 350 psi
- specific impulse : 250 to 270 seconds
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d First Flights - XCOR Aerospace. Mojave Virtual Museum. Retrieved on 2006-11-13.
- ^ a b Deaver, Bill. "XCOR EZ-Rocket makes more history at CalCity", Mojave Desert News, 2005-12-22.
- ^ FAI Records
[edit] External links
- The EZ-Rocket (XCOR)
- howstuffworks: How the EZ-Rocket Works
- Rocket Racing League
- XCOR First Flights from Mojave Virtual Museum
