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XCOR 'Space Tourists' Push for Ticket Refunds: Report
Space.com ^ | January 5, 2019 08:00am ET | Samantha Mathewson,

Posted on 01/06/2019 8:56:13 AM PST by BenLurkin

The space tourism firm XCOR Aerospace Inc. announced plans in 2008 to launch its private two-seat Lynx space plane. Lynx was expected to fly paying space tourists to an altitude of about 38 miles above Earth, where passengers would experience 90 seconds of weightlessness.

The company first estimated flight tests would begin in 2010, with private flights to follow soon after. Many space tourists bought into XCOR's Lynx model for the chance to briefly experience weightlessness at the edge of space.

Having paid XCOR $100,000 for a ticket, customer Nael Hamameh thought his flight would come as early as 2011, according to the Los Angeles Times report. However, that date quickly slipped to 2015, and in 2016 the company shifted its focus from the Lynx space plane to building an upper-stage rocket engine for United Launch Alliance as a source of revenue.

Due to the lack of progress made in developing Lynx, Hamameh pushed the company for a refund. Instead, the company said that they would try to resell his ticket by the end of 2017. Hamameh was also assured he would receive at least $35,000 — which was the portion of each ticket-holder's deposit that the company had said was being kept in a separate escrow account and would be refunded in the event of an incident such as bankruptcy, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Compared to other private space companies, such as Virgin Galactic or Blue Origin, XCOR's Lynx space plane was designed to blast into space under its own power. However, the company underestimated the complexity of the plane's design and the funding needed to build the vehicle.

(Excerpt) Read more at space.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy
KEYWORDS: blueorigin; brexit; elonmusk; estherdyson; falcon9; falconheavy; lynx; lynxmark1; lynxspaceplane; naelhamameh; refunds; spacetourists; spacex; theresamay; ticket; ula; unitedkingdom; unitedlaunchalliance; virgingalactic; xcor; xcoraerospace

1 posted on 01/06/2019 8:56:13 AM PST by BenLurkin
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To: BenLurkin
XCOR 'Space Tourists' Push for Ticket Refunds

They'll get replacement tickets for a free ride on Moonbeam Brown's Bullet Train.

2 posted on 01/06/2019 9:12:30 AM PST by Navy Patriot (America NEEDS Mob Rule, another European and Mid East World War and a universal Draft)
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To: BenLurkin

For a hundred grand sell them tickets to the Vomit Comet if all they want is weightlessness. Use proceeds to help pay for the wall after taking care of the aircraft fuel bill


3 posted on 01/06/2019 9:35:26 AM PST by nevadapatriot
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To: BenLurkin

If they are dumb enough to pay 100 large while this venture is in the concept stage before there is actually a real thing, you are dumb enough to lose your money. No pity from me.


4 posted on 01/06/2019 10:06:10 AM PST by VTenigma (The Democrat party is the party of the mathematically challenged)
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To: SunkenCiv

*ping*


5 posted on 01/06/2019 10:35:14 AM PST by fieldmarshaldj ("It's Slappin' Time !")
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To: BenLurkin

Folks got scammed. Happens to the gullible all the time.

IF he is being candid. He needs to find a couple of other purchasers and file an involuntary Chapter 7. That should get their attention.


6 posted on 01/06/2019 12:46:10 PM PST by PAR35
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To: fieldmarshaldj
They couldn't do it, huh? :^)

7 posted on 01/06/2019 7:31:53 PM PST by SunkenCiv (and btw -- https://www.gofundme.com/for-rotator-cuff-repair-surgery)
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XCOR XR-4K14 "Rocket Racer" engine

XCOR XR-4K14 "Rocket Racer" engine

8 posted on 01/06/2019 7:40:20 PM PST by SunkenCiv (and btw -- https://www.gofundme.com/for-rotator-cuff-repair-surgery)
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