Hardware Component Prototyping for Operationally Responsive Space Access

XCOR’s Air Force-funded work under the Phase II contract will focus on augmenting existing commercial vehicle development program to implement AFRL/VA Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) technologies including ground demonstrations and other activities. This will include the insertion of specific AFRL ORS technologies and vehicle design features into XCOR's Minimal Supersonic Vehicle (MSV). XCOR Aerospace proposes a partnership to enable reliable, rapid access, low cost demonstrations of ORS technologies. XCOR is developing, using already-secured private funds, a suborbital RLV for commercial applications. This gives AFRL huge potential leverage for ORS technology development and demonstration in several distinct ways. First, some of the final development work planned for the vehicle is directly relevant to Air Force ORS goals and systems. Second, additional work that could be carried out during development will augment the baseline development effort and further support these goals. Third, once the vehicle is flying, it will be able to collect real-world systems operability and flight test data for AFRL. Fourth, the vehicle will be able to conduct spacecraft testing and checkout for a variety of potential intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and communications related R&D projects.