Spaceport America has collaborated with EXOS Aerospace Systems & Technologies for a five-year launch partnership for the Suborbital Active Rocket with Guidance (SARGE) vehicle.
Being developed by EXOS, the SARGE vehicle is expected to takeoff from Spaceport America in New Mexico and will create up to 30 new jobs.
EXOS develops suborbital reusable space launch vehicles. While building SARGE, EXOS has taken the experience gained from its practical lessons and flight experience of former Armadillo Aerospace, which it acquired last year.
Armadillo Aerospace’s goal was to build a manned suborbital spacecraft capable of space tourism, as well as provide long-term orbital spaceflight in future.
EXOS team became the first FAA-licensed launch operator from Spaceport America in 2012.
The company expects to reach the research, pharmaceutical and medical markets, as well as the Nasa Flight Opportunities programme for suborbital technology demonstration payloads.
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By GlobalDataEXOS intends to host the first Nasa payload by later this year.
Spaceport America CEO Christine Anderson said: "It is great to see such an innovative company invigorated and fully funded, and we look forward to hosting the new EXOS SARGE vehicle at Spaceport America.
"This five-year agreement allows EXOS to build their flight rate over time, while enabling on-ramps to full tenancy and a planned manufacturing operation creating new jobs in New Mexico."
EXOS is currently accepting launch manifest requests for this calendar year and targeting payload customers who want to fly now rather than a year from now.
EXOS is said to be the first company to benefit from Spaceport America and MARS Scientific’s (MARS) new First Flight First Sight promotion that includes a waived Spaceport America user fee for the first launch of a new customer’s flight campaign, along with MARS Scientific telescopic imaging and optical tracking at nominal cost.
