SpaceCub
Encyclopedia
SpaceCub was a design project for a homebuilt rocket. Between 1993 and 1994, Geoffrey A. Landis
proposed that a vehicle designed to launch to the edge of space might be a feasible project for a "personal" spaceship, the equivalent of a Piper Cub for space. The insight was that a flight to "only" 100 km would reach the officially-defined edge of space, and even though this is much easier a challenge than an orbital flight, such a suborbital flight would be of excitement to the public, and the pilot would be officially qualified as an astronaut
. A small group of rocket enthusiasts, computer hobbyists, and science-fiction writers gathered together to do a preliminary design, with the ultimate goal of moving on to building a prototype, with (then) physics student David Burkhead leading the technical effort. The vehicle design was discussed in many venues, and presentations on the design progress were given in several conferences, such as the 1995 NSS
International Space Development Conference, where it attracted considerable popular attention. The design was featured in print in places including the December 1994 Popular Mechanics
, and the Brazilian popular magazine Istoé
.
Although a full-scale prototype of the SpaceCub was never built, the design (and the publicity surrounding the project) brought public attention to the concept that a small vehicle to fly a private pilot into space might be possible, and in that way served to stimulate the X Prize
, which adopted the SpaceCub's goal of a 100-km flight altitude as a target for a competition. In its way, the SpaceCub vehicle is a predecessor to many of today's concepts for space tourism.
Geoffrey A. Landis
Geoffrey A. Landis is an American scientist, working for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration on planetary exploration, interstellar propulsion, solar power and photovoltaics...
proposed that a vehicle designed to launch to the edge of space might be a feasible project for a "personal" spaceship, the equivalent of a Piper Cub for space. The insight was that a flight to "only" 100 km would reach the officially-defined edge of space, and even though this is much easier a challenge than an orbital flight, such a suborbital flight would be of excitement to the public, and the pilot would be officially qualified as an astronaut
Astronaut Badge
The Astronaut Badge is a badge of the United States, awarded to military and civilian pilots who have completed training and performed a successful spaceflight...
. A small group of rocket enthusiasts, computer hobbyists, and science-fiction writers gathered together to do a preliminary design, with the ultimate goal of moving on to building a prototype, with (then) physics student David Burkhead leading the technical effort. The vehicle design was discussed in many venues, and presentations on the design progress were given in several conferences, such as the 1995 NSS
National Space Society
The National Space Society is an international nonprofit 501, educational, and scientific organization specializing in space advocacy...
International Space Development Conference, where it attracted considerable popular attention. The design was featured in print in places including the December 1994 Popular Mechanics
Popular Mechanics
Popular Mechanics is an American magazine first published January 11, 1902 by H. H. Windsor, and has been owned since 1958 by the Hearst Corporation...
, and the Brazilian popular magazine Istoé
Istoe
Revista ISTOÉ is a weekly news magazine in Portuguese published in Brazil, roughly the equivalent of the American magazines Time or Newsweek. It is considered one of the four main magazines being published in the country, along with Veja, Época and CartaCapital....
.
Although a full-scale prototype of the SpaceCub was never built, the design (and the publicity surrounding the project) brought public attention to the concept that a small vehicle to fly a private pilot into space might be possible, and in that way served to stimulate the X Prize
Ansari X Prize
The Ansari X Prize was a space competition in which the X Prize Foundation offered a US$10,000,000 prize for the first non-government organization to launch a reusable manned spacecraft into space twice within two weeks...
, which adopted the SpaceCub's goal of a 100-km flight altitude as a target for a competition. In its way, the SpaceCub vehicle is a predecessor to many of today's concepts for space tourism.
External links
- David Burkhead's SpaceCub page
- SpaceCub history essay by Geoffrey Landis
- SpaceCub FAQ from Island One