XCOR Aerospace Reaches Milestones in Lynx Rocket Program

Sept. 2, 2009 - PRLog -- This is the engine that powers XCOR's Lynx suborbital spacecraft.  The engine can be seen running in several newly released videos including a video demonstrating the very stable "shock diamond" pattern visible in the engine's supersonic exhaust.

"Like all of our rocket engines, this engine has demonstrated the ability to be stopped and re-started using our safe and reliable spark torch ignition system", said XCOR CEO Jeff Greason.  "The basic cooling design has also been completed and the engine is able to run continuously at thermal equilibrium.  With those milestones reached, the 5K18 test program is now moving forward into a second phase of tuning and optimization, in which we will also greatly increase our cumulative run time."

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