Nova II Capsule Revealed
Starchaser Industries plans for manned test flight
by Carol Pinchefsky
By Carol Pinchefsky
On April 3, 2003, hundreds of people attended Starchaser Industries
' unveiling of its privately manned rocket capsule, the Nova
II at a venue in Cheshire, UK.
Steve Bennett, Starchaser's CEO, will be manning his creation himself on a test flight over Arizona, scheduled to take place several weeks from now. After a C-123K aircraft releases the Nova II capsule, he will flight test the parachutes and the navigation and landing systems during his 14,000 foot descent.
Athough he plans for success Bennet is prepared for all contingencies -- he is a licensed skydiver with over 100 jumps to his name.
The Nova II, a single seater, is an evolved design of Starchaser's previous rocket, the Nova, which is itself a scaled-down version of the Thunderbird, Starchaser's X-Prize contestant.
On April 3, 2003, hundreds of people attended Starchaser Industries
' unveiling of its privately manned rocket capsule, the Nova II at a venue in Cheshire, UK. Steve Bennett, Starchaser's CEO, will be manning his creation himself on a test flight over Arizona, scheduled to take place several weeks from now. After a C-123K aircraft releases the Nova
II capsule, he will flight test the parachutes and the navigation and landing systems during his 14,000 foot descent. Athough he plans for success Bennet is prepared for all contingencies -- he is a licensed skydiver with over 100 jumps to his name.
The Nova
II, a single seater, is an evolved design of Starchaser's previous rocket, the Nova, which is itself a scaled-down version of the Thunderbird, Starchaser's X-Prize contestant. 