" The X PRIZE was founded on May 18, 1996 in St. Louis for the specific purpose of stimulating the creation of a new generation of launch vehicles designed to carry passengers into space.

The mission of the X PRIZE Foundation is to cause radical breakthroughs in space and other technologies for the benefit of humanity.

On October 4th, 2004, the X PRIZE captured world headlines when Mojave Aerospace led by Burt Rutan and Paul Allen built and flew the world’s first private spacecraft to the edge of space to win the $10 million ANSARI X PRIZE. " ... more

" Bristol Spaceplanes Limited, based in Bristol, England, was formed in 1991 to provide technical assistance and consultancy to commercial organisations and aerospace companies interested in commercial opportunities in space. Since then it has prepared plans to develop the Ascender sub-orbital spaceplane, designed in-house from off-the-shelf technology by our experienced design team.
Ascender operates like an aeroplane, however its rocket motor propels it to an altitude of 100km. During your Ascender flight, you will experience several minutes of weightlessness, see the earth below you, and bright stars against a black sky: a truly transforming experience... " more

" Kelly Space & Technology, Inc. (KST) is a privately held commercial aerospace systems and technology development company based at the San Bernardino International Airport (formerly Norton Air Force Base). KST’s plan is to create and commercialize technologies that will open space to large-scale development and bring space usefully into the daily lives of everyday citizens. KST’s initial focus was on the development of a reusable launch system that would serve as an enabler for low-cost, routine access to space. As market and investment climates have fluctuated widely over the years, KST has sought and obtained revenue from related activities, such as supporting NASA’s Space Transportation Architecture Studies (STAS) and Space Launch Initiative (SLI) with the ultimate goal of replacing the Space Shuttle. KST has also secured “Congressional Add” funding from the Department of Defense (DoD) to develop the Jet and Rocket Engine Test Site (JRETS) at the San Bernardino International Airport. " more

" Kistler Aerospace's Vision:
Low Cost Access To Space
Kistler Aerospace Corporation is the developer of the K-1 fully reusable aerospace vehicle, designed to deliver payloads to orbit and provide a low-cost alternative to single-use launch vehicles. The company intends the K-1 to become the reliable, low-cost provider of launch services for commercial, civil, and military payloads destined for Low Earth Orbit (LEO), Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) and Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO), as well as for cargo resupply and recovery flights to and from the International Space Station (ISS). " more

" Established in 1984, Microcosm is a small business, specializing in reducing space mission cost. Our experience covers commercial, military, and scientific missions from small, low-cost programs to multi-billion dollar, multi-satellite constellations and a family of launch vehicles.
Scorpius® is a new generation of expendable launch vehicles intended to reduce the cost of launch to orbit by a factor of 5 to 10. The Scorpius® program is a total "clean-sheet" development using new technologies for pressure-fed, LOX/Jet-A propellants, all new low cost ablative engines, and GPS/INS guidance/control. Funding for the ongoing Scorpius program has been provided primarily by the Air Force, Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO), NASA, and Microcosm internal R&D..." more

" Rocketplane Limited, Inc. (RLI) was founded in 2001 as an Oklahoma Corporation with a vision to be a driving force in the future of commercial space flight. Rocketplane opened its first office in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in May 2004, with three employees and a dialup web connection. In less than 1 year, RLI had grown to over 30 highly skilled employees, three facilities either in operation or under development, and is well underway in developing our first vehicle, the XP..." more

" SpaceX is developing a family of launch vehicles intended to substantially reduce the cost of reliable access to space. The company officially began operations in June 2002 and is located in the heart of the aerospace industry in Southern California, about a mile from LAX.

Our first launch vehicle, named Falcon, is a two stage, liquid oxygen and kerosene powered rocket capable of placing half a ton into low Earth orbit. We expect to have the Falcon ready for launch by late 2003, with the actual liftoff date subject to Air Force, NASA and FAA approval..." more