Briefs: SS3 and SS4; Zero-G NASA bid; DARPA space projects
Whitehorn seems to disagree with NASA about the agency buying tickets for astronaut training rides on SS2. NASA plans to hitch a lift on SpaceShipTwo-27/02/2007-Flight International.
Whitehorn says two generations of vehicles after SpaceShipTwo program are being considered:
* SS3 - orbital passenger flights
* SS4 - deliver satellites to orbit
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Despite the restrictions, Zero-G is still planning to bid for NASA's micro-gravity aircraft flight service: NASA to outsource zero-gravity flight testing - Flight International
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DARPA has several rocket/space related items on its menu: Rocket power tops DARPA's wishlist -20/02/2007-Washington DC-Flight International. These include:
* Demo of a "high-altitude, long-endurance UAV that can be rocket-deployed from the USA to provide rapid-reaction surveillance anywhere in the world".
* Lockheed Martin Falcon hypersonic test vehicle.
* "NanoPayload Delivery, to validate the feasibility of launching 1-10kg satellites to low-Earth orbit at short notice, possibly using modified air-to-air missiles fired from fighters."
* "Tiny, Independent, Coordinating Spacecraft programme to demonstrate difficult-to-detect robotic nanosatellites able to inspect other spacecraft in orbit"


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