A spaceflight company has revealed plans to develop a fully reusable, take-off and landable spaceplane.
Radian Aerospace is based in Bellevue in Washington. They claim their spaceplane can completely change travel, both in space as well as around the globe.
Radian One was named Radian One and will soon be fully-reusable single-stage to orbit vehicles. This vehicle can be easily turned around for reflow within 48 hours.
Fundraising for the firm totalled $27.5million in seed capital. Experts predict that it will be well above $1 billion.
It claims not to be focused on the tourism market, but rather finding a way to make research, in-space manufacturing, and Earth observations easier and cheaper.
An aerospace firm may have found the holy grail of spaceflight, after revealing plans to build a fully reusable spaceplane that can take off and land from a runway. Artist impression
Radian Aerospace, based in Bellevue, Washington, claims its spaceplane will completely transform travel – both in space and around the world. Artist impression
Radian says it has ‘operated in stealth mode’ focusing on the design and initial development of the Radian One aerospace vehicle.
It says the vehicle will ‘fill the efficiency and capability gaps that exist with traditional vertical rockets’.
‘Our fully reusable, aircraft-like configuration requires far less infrastructure than vertical launch systems and can be reflown within 48 hours,’ it added.
The craft would have a ‘sled-assist take-off’, taking off subsonically with full propellant tanks, with a low-G ascent for safe crew flight to low Earth orbit.
Once in orbit, missions could range from once around the Earth, in about 90 minutes, to a full five day cruise.
When returning to the Earth after the trip to space, wings allow it to land smoothly on any 10,000ft runway – and be ready to go again two days later.
This would allow it to land at most of the major UK airports, including Heathrow, Manchester, Gatwick, Birmingham and Stansted.
The firm says it will be able to carry out a wide range of functions once in space, including taking people and light cargo to low Earth orbit.
‘We believe that widespread access to space means limitless opportunities for humankind,’ said Richard Humphrey, CEO and co-founder of Radian.
When returning to the Earth after the trip to space, wings allow it to land smoothly on any 10,000ft runway – and be ready to go again two days later
‘Over time, we intend to make space travel nearly as simple and convenient as airliner travel,’ he said, adding the focus isn’t on tourism.
‘We are dedicated to missions that make life better on our own planet, like research, in-space manufacturing, and terrestrial observation, as well as critical new missions like rapid global delivery right here on Earth.’
Brett Rome, from Fine Structure Ventures, who helped Radian raise £27.5 million, said that a low-cost space transport solution has been lacking.
As space shifts to become more commercially driven, through the manufacture of satellites in orbit, to the launch of privately operated space stations, more people than ever before will need to get off the planet.
Named Radian One, when finished it will be a fully reusable, single stage to orbit vehicle, that can be turned around and reflown within 48 hours. Artist impression
The firm has raised $27.5 million in seed funding, and while no specific budget has been revealed, experts predict it will cost well over $1 billion to develop. Artist impression
‘Radian is well positioned to fill that gap with disruptive technology that helps enable the emerging space economy,’ said Mr Rome.
Radian says a standard flight might include a trip to space, perform a pre-designated mission, return to Earth, refuel and be ready to fly again two days later.
But this is something not currently possible with traditional launch vehicles, including SpaceX Crew Dragon, which can take months to prepare to fly again.
‘Wings offer capabilities and mission types that are simply not possible with traditional vertical takeoff right circular cylinder rockets,’ said Livingston Holder, Radian’s co-founder, CTO and former head of the Future Space Transportation and X-33 program at Boeing.
The company claims it is not focused on tourism, but instead seeks to simplify research and make in-space production more affordable. Artist impression
Radian says it has ‘operated in stealth mode’ focusing on the design and initial development of the Radian One aerospace vehicle that will ‘fill the efficiency and capability gaps that exist with traditional vertical rockets’. Artist impression
It would be able to perform a “sled-assist lift-off”, which is subsonically taking off with all propellant tanks. The ascent will allow for crew safe flight to low Earth orbit. Artist impression
Holder stated that although the work we do is difficult, it is possible thanks to major advances in material science, miniatureaturisation and manufacturing technology.
The company plans to concentrate on mission that are impossible due to its winged configuration. It already has service agreements with satellite companies and in-space producers.
According to the firm, it has also signed agreements with certain US governments and other government agencies. However, they didn’t identify them.
Doug Greenlaw said, “Radian leverages a unique combination technology with an optimised model to unlock what’s possible in space,” serving current aerospace markets while catalytically enabling others.
Greenlaw was previously the Lockheed Martin chief executive and is currently a strategic investor and advisor in Radian. In less than 10 years, he estimates that the value of space launch could reach $1.4 trillion.
He said that Radian is doing the “Holy Grail” of creating space accessible with maximum reusability, responsiveness and cost efficiency to offer customers unmatched flexibility and cost effectiveness.
According to the company, there could be a market of as high as $200 Billion for the vehicle once it is completed. The technology is slowly maturing.
It is hoped that the turnaround time will be reduced and the mission cost per successful mission can be decreased to enable more trips to low-Earth orbit.
“On-demand space operations are a growing industry, and Radian’s technology is capable of delivering on the right-sized and high-cadence operations, that the market opportunity has shown,” said Dylan Taylor (CEO and Chairman at Voyager Space).
Radian is a team that I trust and am proud of.