Northrop Drafting XS-1 Experimental Space Plane Design

Image courtesy Northrop Grumman.

By Danielle Lucey



Northrop Grumman, with partners Scaled Composites and Virgin Galactic, is creating a design and flight demonstration plan for DARPA’s Experimental Spaceplane XS-1 program. 



The company’s concept is a part of a 13-month, phase one contract for $3.9 million for the program, which is seeking a method of quick, affordable and routine access to space. The program’s goal is to fly 10 times in 10 days with minimal crew and infrastructure. 



Northrop Grumman says its plan will leverage the company’s experience making unmanned aircraft that can fly in highly autonomous operations. It plans on using a transporter erector launcher and typical aircraft horizontal landing on a standard runway.



Northrop is one of three companies working on a concept. The Boeing Co., paired with Blue Origin LLC, and Masten Space Systems, with XCOR Aerospace, are also working on phase one designs. 



The XS-1 would use a renewable booster to lift a 3,000-pound spacecraft into low Earth orbit. 



"Our team is uniquely qualified to meet DARPA's XS-1 operational system goals, having built and transitioned many developmental systems to operational use, including our current work on the world's only commercial space line, Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo," says Doug Young, vice president of missile defense and advanced missions at Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems. "We plan to bundle proven technologies into our concept that we developed during related projects for DARPA, NASA and the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, giving the government maximum return on those investments.”