Guy Norris/MOJAVE
Rotary Rocket, the California-based company developing the low-cost Roton launcher, hopes to begin assembling the first atmospheric test vehicle (ATV) by year end.
The timetable is dependent on the completion of Rotary's high bay building at Mojave, where final assembly will take place. It also depends on the completion of the major structural parts of the Roton by Scaled Composites.
"All structural pieces should be completed by the start of November," says Scaled Composites, which is making the 6.7m-diameter heatshield, 9.15m-long payload and crew compartment, liquid oxygen fuel tank and other sections of the 20m-high Roton.
Tests are also under way of the Roton's powered rotors, which will be used to control the descent of the vehicle. Tip thrusters will be mounted in the end of the 8.5m-long rotors, which will be controlled through a transmission derived, like the rotors themselves, from a Sikorsky S-58.
The transmission will be held in place by four "quad pods", which resemble a camera tripod in configuration. Control cables will run down from the transmission to the crew compartment where the descent will be controlled in traditional helicopter fashion with collective and cyclic controls.
The rotors will fold flat against the side of the Roton for powered flight, but will be deployed during the descent.
Source: Flight International
