A privately built rocket has made its first free-flight in the California desert as part of a NASA program exploring vertical landing systems for solar system exploration. The autonomous flight occurred earlier this month at the Mojave Air and Space Port about 90 miles north of Los Angeles. Read more
Xombie rocket goes the distance Masten Space Systems' Xombie rocket has prevailed in its second attempt to qualify for a $150,000 rocket prize from NASA. The first attempt, back on Sept. 16, ended at the halfway point of the required round trip due to an engine leak, but this time around the engine went the full distance.