Rocket-powered racers received the go-ahead this week from
the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to soar at over 20 venues across the
United States.
This certification marks the first time ever that the FAA
has approved a production-scale rocket-powered aircraft for exhibition
flights, the Rocket Racing League announced on Tuesday.
The league formed in 2005 to promote aerial NASCAR-style
racing, and currently has a roster of six teams under title sponsor DKNY, a New
York City-based men's sportswear line that is also backing the Bridenstine
Rocket Racing Team headed by former U.S. Navy jet pilot Jim Bridenstine.
An earlier debut
of the rocket-powered racers used a liquid oxygen and kerosene engine designed
by XCOR Aerospace. However, the DKNY Bridenstine Rocket Racer that received recent
FAA approval for public demonstrations is equipped with liquid oxygen and
alcohol engines produced by Armadillo Aerospace.
"I would like to personally thank the FAA for their
assistance through this process," said Granger Whitelaw, Rocket Racing
League co-founder
and CEO. "This historic moment was built upon the unprecedented
cooperation between our company, Armadillo Aerospace, and the FAA."
He added that the League plans to confirm its venues for
the 2009 exhibition season, before kicking off an official
race season with 10 rocket racers in 2010.
League officials had once talked of pitting an
XCOR-powered racer against an Armadillo-powered racer, but had to wait on the
FAA approval for the Armadillo engine. However, the league announced in
September that its current fleet of rocket racers would only fly with Armadillo
engines.
Whitelaw told SPACE.com then that XCOR engines had
not met league standards of "safety, reliability, reusability and
performance," although XCOR disputes that its engines have any problems.
Of the 10 rocket racers scheduled to fly in 2010, six are
slated to use the Armadillo engine. The other four racer engines remain
"up for grabs," according to Whitelaw.
The league is currently working on selecting eight venues
from the more than 20 approved by the FAA, including the Reno National
Championship Air Races and Air Show in Reno, Nev., where a public demonstration
flight took place in September.
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