The DC-X: Inspiration for 
Space Tourism Alamogordo, NM - A reunion of the members of the Delta Clipper Experimental rocket team met in this small town near the White Sands Missile Range. This event had three purposes: to celebrate the amazing success of the world’s first fully reusable rocket ship, to announce the New Mexico Museum of Space History’s plan to build the DC-X for display in its rocket garden and have an exhibit, and to discuss the state of the private space travel movement. Samuel Coniglio, Space Tourism Society Vice President and former member of the DC-X team attended the event and gave his presentation about the DC-X and its inspiration for space tourism. You can look at the presentation on our Library page. Not familiar with the DC-X, DC-XA, or the Clipper Graham? In late 1990, the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization (SDIO) granted McDonnell Douglas an $89 million contract to build a fully reusable rocket. It was a miniscule sum compared to other rocket projects at that time. Within tow years the rocket was built, and on August 18, 1993, the DC-X had its maiden flight at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. From 1993 to 1996 the rocket a dozen times, and broke many technological barriers. It also broke many psychological and political barriers. Over a dozen private space companies were born not long after the DC-X started flying. A landing gear failure at the end of flight twelve in 1996 ended the an otherwise amazing career for “the little rocket that could.” ../Space_Tourism_Society/Library.htmlshapeimage_1_link_0
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