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ANSARI X PRIZE Space Race News!

 
Space.com: Canadian Arrow Team Moves Forward in Human-Rating Rocket
Space.com made a more detailed news release related to an older Canadian Arrow Press Release.
In the quest to build and fly suborbital passenger spaceships, the Canadian Arrow is ready to roar. A series of unpiloted validation tests of rocket systems are now slated for this summer.
The testing is scheduled to take place over a period of four months beginning in August. According to Canadian Arrow team leader, Geoff Sheerin of London Ontario, Canada, the rocket's launch pad abort and escape systems are to be evaluated first.
"This testing will be essential before any manned launches are attempted," the group announced in a press statement. A set of solid rocket motors mounted in the nosecone section are to be ignited, pulling the nosecone and crew cabin off the booster.
Purpose of the shakeout is to verify that rocket abort hardware is reliable enough for human-rating the booster.
The rocket's escape system features eight powerful solid rocket engines that burn for 5 seconds, mounted in the rocket’s nose cone. The crew cabin, or space capsule, is built to carry three Canadian Arrow astronauts. Read More

posted by Sigurd @ 5/11/2004 06:04:00 PM