DARPA's answer to this crisis was to create a concept for a space plane called the XS-1 that could put satellites into orbit (up to 3,000-lb. or 1,360-kilogram payloads) or service existing ...

Early DARPA artwork of the XS-1 military space plane. (Image credit: DARPA) Technical goals. The XS-1 space plane will consist of a reusable booster vehicle and an expendable upper stage.

Launching satellites into orbit could get a lot cheaper thanks to an experimental space plane. SEE ALSO: NASA's new space fabric looks like chain mail and can protect astronauts This week, the ...

Boeing's Phantom Express XS-1 space plane design is shown in launch position in this artist's concept. The autonomous spacecraft is designed to launch vertically, deploy a second stage payload ...

DARPA initiated the space plane development program in 2013, and chose Boeing over Northrop Grumman and Masten Space Systems to become the lead contractor for Phases II and III in 2017. The public ...

Boeing wins go-ahead from DARPA to build and test XS-1 military space plane by 2020 by Alan Boyle on May 24, 2017 at 10:29 am May 24, 2017 at 4:42 pm Share 103 Tweet Share Reddit Email ...

DARPA has announced the second phase of its ambitious XS-1 program. The agency is seeking to make access to space more regular and affordable by employing an entirely re-usable high-speed, sub ...

DARPA has released its plans for the XS-1, a reusable spaceplane. ... many different space plane designs were dreamed of. This one, from Grumman, is a lot like the XS-1 ...

DARPA and Boeing envision the XS-1 utilizing lightweight composite cryogenic propellant tanks able to hold liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen, as well as hybrid composite-metallic wings for flight ...

DARPA announced May 24 that it has picked Boeing to develop an experimental spaceplane with the promise of lowering launch costs for medium-sized payloads. Close Newsletter Sign Ups ...

An ambitious DARPA project seeks to get satellites into space cheaper and on demand. Get the Popular Science daily newsletter💡 Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. Email ...

In May 2017 DARPA selected Boeing to develop XS-1, beating out Masten Space Systems and Northrop Grumman who, like Boeing, received earlier study contracts. Boeing is beginning to build hardware ...