Generation Orbit X-60

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X-60
Artist depiction of the X-60A in flight
General information
TypeExperimental aircraft
National originUnited States
ManufacturerGeneration Orbit
Primary userAir Force Research Laboratory

The Generation Orbit X-60 (GOLauncher 1 or GO1) was an air-launched single stage suborbital rocket vehicle produced by Generation Orbit.

Design and development

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A hot-fire test of the X-60A air-launched rocket at Cecil Spaceport, January 14, 2020.

The first two segments of the GOLauncher 1 Inert Test Article (GO1-ITA) underwent a series of structural ground tests at Mercer University's Engineering Research Center (MERC) in December 2013.[1]

In July 2014, GO was awarded a Phase I Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) contract from the Air Force Research Laboratory, Aerospace Systems Directorate (AFRL/RQ) for development of GOLauncher 1. The nine-month effort, worth $150,000, focused on requirements definition, configuration trade studies, and trajectory design.[2][3][4][5] In October 2018, the designation X-60A was assigned to the GO1 vehicle.[6]

Applications of the X-60A include access to high altitudes for microgravity, astrophysics, hypersonics testing and research of avionics. On July 20, 2014, GO flew its first captive carry test platform using a Learjet 35.[7][8]

References

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  • Error creating thumbnail: File missing Media related to Lua error in Module:Commons_link at line 62: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). at Wikimedia Commons

https://generationorbit.com/x-60a at the Wayback Machine (archived August 26, 2021)