In late August Rocketplane Ltd. Inc., an Oklahoma-based space travel company, conducted developmental tests at the Walter H. Beech Memorial Wind Tunnel at the National Institute for Aviation Research at Wichita State University.

The company is continuing testing on the Rocketplane XP, a sub-orbital spacecraft designed for space tourism.

The model being used for testing was developed by research machinists at NIAR’s Research Machine Shop. Rocketplane Ltd. has also conducted several other preliminary tests in the wind and water tunnels at NIAR.

Joseph Huwaldt, chief engineer for Rocketplane Ltd., said he was impressed with the high quality and workmanship of the model, and working with NIAR has been a positive experience.

“A number of people who work at Rocketplane have had experience with NIAR,” he said. “It was a natural choice for subsonic testing.”

Huwaldt said Rocketplane Ltd. also plans to use NIAR’s full-scale Aircraft Structural Testing and Evaluation Center (ASTEC) to conduct static structure wing tests in early 2007.

The Rocketplane XP's fuselage is based on a Learjet 25 model, but has been modified for space travel. The Rocketplane is designed to carry three passengers to 330,000 feet. It will take off like a typical airplane, then use rocket power to travel into outer space. The ride will last one hour and passengers will experience three to four minutes of weightlessness as they view Earth from space.

“It’ll be the greatest roller coaster ride you’ve ever seen,” Huwaldt said.

He said in recent years space tourism has emerged as a burgeoning new market.

Rocketplane Ltd. plans to conduct test flights of the Rocketplane XP before the end of 2006, and carry its first passengers by mid 2007. To learn more visit www.rocketplane.com.