WORLD WIDE WEB — XCOR Aerospace has successfully completed multiple test firings of the firm's new liquid oxygen/kerosene rocket engine, the XR-4K5 at Mojave Airport.

The new engine is considerably more powerful than the previous isopropyl alcohol fueled rocket engine used in the EZ-Rocket. The new engine produces 1,800 pounds of thrust, and runs at two and a half times the chamber pressure of the previous engine.

"This is XCOR's first engine designed to run on liquid oxygen and kerosene," said Dan DeLong, XCOR Chief Engineer.

TEST FIRING of a new rocket engine developed by XCOR Aerospace at Mojave Airport took place recently at the airport. New engine is fueled by liquid oxygen and kerosene.

"The initial tests are in the heat sink configuration, and we expect to develop it further into a regenerative cooled version." DeLong said. "The XR-4K5 also uses our most recent electrical igniter design that is smaller and lighter than previous generations."

"We are very excited about the new engine since it moves us closer to our goal of a reliable and economical vehicle for space tourism as well as educational and commercial use," said XCOR Chief Executive Officer Jeff Greason. "The more powerful engine and use of readily available and nontoxic fuels is a notable development in reliability and cost control of operating suborbital vehicles. XCOR is developing the XR-4K5 for future applications, including the propulsion system for the Xerus project."

The Xerus project is part of a joint marketing agreement between XCOR Aerospace and Space Adventures, Ltd., that provides Space Adventures' the first 600 flights to 62 miles (100 km) altitude aboard XCOR's Xerus sub-orbital vehicle, designed specifically for space tourist flights.

According to a recent study by the Futon Corp., a Bethesda, MD aerospace consulting firm, the space travel market could generate revenues of over $1 billion annually by 2021.