Rocketplane to focus on space tourism

Rocketplane's recent loss of a multimillion-dollar contract with NASA may concern outsiders about the company's future in space tourism. But the concern stops there.

Instead, company officials say the halt on the NASA project means Rocketplane will be able to turn its focus to another project: getting tourists into space.

"We're looking at a stronger focus on the XP,” said George French, chairman and chief executive officer. The XP is Rocketplane Global's tourism spacecraft.

NASA canceled the $207 million contract it had with Rocketplane Kistler after the Oklahoma City company failed to secure additional funding for its K-1 orbital vehicle.

Rocketplane Kistler and Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX), a California-based company, won a 2006 competition to share more than $400 million in NASA funding to help finance a demonstration flight to the International Space Station. Rocketplane needed to raise an additional $500 million, French said. He said his company was able to secure $300 million.

"It never goes quite as fast as you want,” French said.

Although Rocketplane Kistler was unable to raise enough funds to keep its NASA contract, Rocketplane Global is attempting to raise funds for the XP spacecraft; a task he said will be more successful.

"XP requires lower levels of funding to move forward,” he said. Rocketplane Global will release the latest designs for the XP next week at the X Prize cup in New Mexico.

French said although Rocketplane Kistler and Rocketplane Global are operated by the same parent company, Rocketplane Inc., the two subsidiaries are separate. He said a backslide for one company does not equal a backslide for the other.

"They're two different programs,” he said.

George French III, spokesman for Rocketplane Global, agreed, saying the only thing that links the two companies is public perception.

"Although losing the (NASA contract) affects the Kistler side greatly, it's not going to have a tremendous effect on Rocketplane Global,” he said. "The outside view is that it will.”

George French said though the loss of the NASA contract may also make it look as if Rocketplane Kistler has abandoned its K-1 project, that is not the case.

"We've always had a business plan for the K-1,” he said. "We have other customers in mind. We are looking at all of our options.”