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Flight Exploration

*The following is archival content from 2003, hosted on the original X PRIZE website, to maintain authenticity.

Propulsion: Kerosene and Hydrogen Peroxide Rockets
Ship Name: The Green Arrow
Team Leader: Dr. Graham Dorrington
Location: London, England,United Kingdom
Launch: Rocket Powered Verical Tackoff
Landing: Parachute Recovery

Quote from Brian Feeney

"The X PRIZE provides a focus for the development of commercial reusable sub-orbital vehicles, which will lead to a new era in commercial space transportation. Risk has been the major stumbling block on private enterprises entering this potentially huge commercial market. The X PRIZE helps to bridge that gap."

Flight Sequence

A simple gantry system will be used to permit the vehicle to take off vertically with a maximum acceleration of 3G's. The vehicle will use up all of its propellant and then coast up to maximum altitude of 100km. The vehicle will then free-fall back to earth and deploy a ballute/gas bag system to stabilize the descent. A drogue parachute will then pull out the main descent parachute. Final landing, about 10km downrange, will be cushioned by the gas bags.