Rubicon
Spacecraft · USA
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American manned spacecraft. Study 2004. X-Prize suborbital ballistic spacecraft concept of STC.
Rubicon/STC Suborbital Tourism Vehicle was to be launched from a mobile launch structure positioned near the coast of the Pacific Ocean. The Rubicon would be launched by seven identical solid rocket motors -- each 30 cm in diameter and 2.4 m long. Six of the motors were in a ring configuration around the seventh central motor. The outer motors would be fired in pairs and then jettisoned, followed by burn of the central motor. The vehicle would be almost completely reusable - the engines were to be cleaned and repacked for the next flight. The vehicle's Attitude Control System (ACS) consisted of attitude/position sensing equipment, thrusters to provide attitude adjustment, and a microcontroller to crunch numbers and signal the thrusters appropriately. Instruments included accelerometers, gyros, inclinometers and a magnetometer. Loaded and fuelled, the vehicle would weigh approximately 1800 kg and stand 6 m high.