The Roton rocket, a reusable, single-stage-to-orbit space vehicle being developed by the Rotary Rocket Company of Redwood City, is intended to be the world's first fully-reusable commercial launch vehicle. Piloted by a crew of two, the Roton takes off vertically like a conventional liquid-fueled rocket and returns to Earth and lands like a helicopter, using a nose-mounted rotor and rotor-tip thrusters to hover and maneuver.
Other than fuel and coolant, no components are discarded or expended during flight, so minimal servicing and maintenance is required between missions. A fleet of Roton vehicles would be able to provide flexible, flight-on-demand service somewhat like today's airfreight companies, fundamentally changing the economics of the space launch industry.
This presentation will include a summary of the development and preliminary approach and landing flight tests of the Roton ATV launch vehicle, and compare the role of human pilots with that of on-board computer systems. A videotape of the third translational test flight will also be shown.
About the speaker:
Gary Hudson is a founder of Rotary Rocket Company, and currently serves as President, Chief Executive Officer, and a member of the Board of Directors. He has worked in the field of commercial space for over 25 years with an emphasis on the development of innovative low-cost systems. His experience includes both management and engineering in high-tech, entrepreneurial settings. He is the designer of the Phoenix VTOL/SSTO family of launch vehicles and has participated in many Single-Stage-To-Orbit launch vehicle projects including support for both General Dynamics and Boeing Aerospace corporation during the SDIO program. He has published numerous papers on space vehicles and systems and has authored several studies on low cost and advanced propulsion systems.
In 1994 Mr. Hudson co-founded HMX, Inc. which designs and develops innovative aerospace propulsion systems. In 1995 HMX developed a monopropellant rocket engine propulsion system, including engines, tankage and support systems, for Kistler Aerospace Corporation of Kirkland, WA. Mr. Hudson had previously been co-founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Pacific American Launch Systems, Inc.; served as a consultant to the United States Air Force's Project Forecast II; designed the Percheron 055 experimental launch vehicle; and spent ten years as a consulting Systems Designer on low cost commercial space systems.
Mr. Hudson attended the University of Minnesota. He has conducted seminars for the US Naval Postgraduate School and the Institute for Space and Astronautical Sciences of Tokyo University, and has taught graduate-level launch vehicle design at Stanford University. He is a Fellow of the British Interplanetary Society and a Senior Member of the American Institute of Astronautics and Aeronautics. In January 1994 he received the Laurel Award from Aviation Week & Space Technology "for the vision, drive and competence that have pushed [single-stage-to-orbit and reusable launch vehicles] to the front of the U.S. launcher agenda."
Contact information:
www.rotaryrocket.com