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X-34 Contractor Selected for Negotiation

Jim Cast
Headquarters, Washington, DC               June 10, 1996
(Phone:  202/358-1779)

Jerry Berg
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL
(Phone:  205/544-0034)

RELEASE:  96-115

X-34 CONTRACTOR SELECTED FOR NEGOTIATIONS

    NASA has selected Orbital Sciences Corp., Dulles, VA, for 
final negotiations leading to the award of a contract to build 
a small, reusable technology demonstrator vehicle, known as 
the X-34 demonstrator, and begin flight testing it in late 
summer of 1998.

    The contract includes the first two X-34 flight tests and 
covers a program valued at approximately $60 million.

    The fast-track X-34 program calls for demonstrating a 
vehicle that will be capable of flying up to 25 times a year 
at a cost of $500,000 or less per flight, attaining altitudes 
of at least 250,000 feet, and flying at speeds of up to eight 
times the speed of sound.  Other specifications for the 
vehicle include use of advanced thermal protection systems and 
demonstration of the ability to fly subsonically through rain 
and fog.  

    Flights of the X-34 will involve testing of new 
technologies such as composite material structures, composite 
tanks and new, integrated avionics, as well as demonstrations 
of safe abort and autonomous landing techniques, in high cross 
winds, using advanced landing systems.  The selection of 
Orbital Sciences for negotiations follows issuance of a NASA 
Research Announcement in March 1996, which restructured the X-
34 program.  

    The current program puts primary emphasis on demonstrating 
key technologies for a small, reusable vehicle, not tied to 
potential commercial applications.  The X-34 effort is part of 
NASA's Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) technology program, aimed 
at reducing the cost of access to space, and promoting the 
creation and delivery of new space services and other 
activities that will improve U.S. economic competitiveness.

                           -end-