Neil Milburn of Armadillo Aerospace answered questions from reporters after the announcement that the FAA has granted the Texas-based company a reusable launch license for the STIG-B rocket. Here is a summary:
- FAA license for reusable STIG-B flights is for two years
- First STIG-B flight set for Aug. 25 – 26
- Two experiments on first flight — one from Germany on how particles behave, the other from Purdue University on injecting one liquid into another
- STIG-B rocket is 20 inches in diameter and 34 feet long (STIG-A was 15 inches in diameter and 30 feet long)
- STIG-B capable of launching payloads of 50 kg (110 pounds) to 100 kilometers suborbital altitude
- Goal is to fly STIG-B rockets once per month (24 launches)
- STIG-B is a testbed for technology to be used on suborbital human space vehicle
- Philosophy is to fly tech as often as possible and to do it on cost-effective rockets
- Human suborbital program depends upon the success of STIG-B
- Human vehicle will have 8 rockets
- STIG-A flew under a FAA waiver
- Cannot fly STIG-B under waiver because they will be flying commercial payloads
- Have spent a small fortune on Honeywell sensors to carefully measure the precise mico-gravity environment on flights
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