Free Republic

  Artist's concept of racer. Rocket Racing League    X-Prize man launches rocket race  Peter Diamandis, the man behind the $10m X-Prize for suborbital space travel, has brought forward his new initiative: the Rocket Racing League. The RRL will see Grand Prix-style races between rocket planes, flown by top pilots through a "3D trackway" just 5,000ft (1,500m) above the ground. The first "X-Racers" will be built for the series, but it is hoped new teams will soon enter with novel designs. Events will be staged across the US, culminating in a final in New Mexico.     The Rocket...

The EZ-Rocket lifts in to the air under rocket power after circling once and landing. This "touch-and-go" is the first ever in a rocket powered aircraft.                                                                                                                                      - Photo by Mike Massee XCOR EZ-Rocket Performs Touch-and-goFirst time ever for rocket powered airplane Mojave, CA, Tuesday, June 25, 2002:  XCOR Aerospace announced that its rocket engine test-bed, the XCOR EZ-Rocket, performed a "touch-and-go" maneuver, yesterday, Monday, June 24, at their test facility at the Mojave Airport in Mojave, CA. The "touch-and-go" maneuver was the first time ever for a rocket-powered airplane. XCOR Chief engineer Dan DeLong congratulates pilot Dick Rutan...