Mayflower
Spacecraft · USA
Original archive entry. The text, images and links below are kept as they were written.
American manned spaceplane. Study 2004. X-Prize suborbital seaplane-spacecraft of Advent Launch Services of Houston, Texas. Reached the stage of engineering tests by 2003.
Mayflower was a concept of Advent Launch Services of Houston, Texas, USA, under a team led by Jim Akkerman. The Advent spacecraft was launched vertically from water and landed horizontally like a sea plane. Advent Launch Services was a group of NASA retirees with extensive experience with space vehicle development. A full-scale engineering test vehicle was completed and rocket engine tests were performed in June 2003. Results of these tests led to some redesign of propulsion system components.
Related
Chronology
1 event
2003 June 13
- Mayflower engine test. - . Nation: USA. Program: X-Prize. Spacecraft Bus: X-Prize. Spacecraft: Mayflower. Advent Launch Systems (Houston, Texas, USA) performed a hot fire testing their propulsion system. Combustion downstream of the nozzle throat resulted in an explosion that did not destroy the vehicle, but caused damage to the nozzle and feed system.