Rocket Crafters & FIT Enter Into Joint Agreement for Rocket Motor Testing

MELBOURNE, Fla. - March 17, 2015 - PRLog -- Rocket Crafters, Inc. (RCI) announced today that it has entered into an agreement with Florida Institute of Technology (FIT), Melbourne, Florida concerning RCI’s rocket propulsion research & development program.

The first phase of the agreement calls for FIT faculty, engineering, and graduate student resources to conduct analytical performance modeling of RCI’s cutting-edge D-DART (Direct-Digital Advanced Rocket Technology) hybrid rocket motors, and to work with RCI engineers to support RCI’s plans to conduct hot-fire tests of its patent-pending hybrid rocket motors.

Sid Gutierrez, former NASA astronaut, Shuttle commander and RCI’s CEO and chairman, “We look forward to working with the experts at FIT to change the way we access space for all mankind.  For too long the benefits of space have been limited to too few.  Working with FIT, we plan to change that and make space affordable for all.”

“FIT has a long history working with NASA and the Department of Defense on cutting-edge space and rocket propulsion related research projects. We appreciate the enthusiasm our FIT colleagues are bringing to this exciting project that we believe will ultimately transform launch systems and spaceflight by making it safer, less expensive, and more reliable”, Ronald Jones, Rocket Crafters’ president and chief technology officer added.

Daniel Kirk, PhD, FIT Professor and Associate Dean for Research in the College of Engineering commented that “Advanced manufacturing techniques, such as digital and three-dimensional printing, are rapidly transforming the landscape of the more conventional approaches to making products. Rocket Crafters is at the forefront of exploring ways to apply these new manufacturing techniques for the creation of more advanced, more cost-effective and higher performance hybrid rocket motors to help transform launch systems and space travel. We are excited to support these efforts to better understand and model the performance, thrust, and efficiency produced by rockets that employ their innovative rocket motor technology”.

Rocket Crafters, based in Titusville, FL, is developing Sidereus SAS™, a two-stage to orbit space launch system.When brought to market later in this decade, Sidereus will be the world’s first tandem jet-rocket powered reusable manned spaceplane. With aircraft-like operability, this revolutionary spaceplane is being developed specifically to carry the Superna Spacecraft™, an expendable upper-stage that will deliver small satellites to orbit. Sidereus SAS™ will launch and recover much like a jet powered aircraft using conventional runways. Sidereus will be available to U.S. Government agencies for sale or lease; and under special wet-lease terms, it will be marketed to civil space agencies worldwide. Operating from FAA licensed air & spaceport facilities, the Company also intends to offer scheduled launch services to commercial small satellite operators globally. Rocket Crafters also intends to offer its high-performance, low-cost hybrid rocket technology to the U.S. Government and other U.S. launch system developers.

For additional information and to schedule one on one media interviews with Ronald Jones or Sid Gutierrez contact Dick Baumbach at 855-795-6800 or 321-544-3440 (Direct) or dick@bandfcommunications.com