Space Transport Corp. aiming for second test launch of Rubicon rocket during the weekend of Sept. 25-26

By Alan Boyle: In the wake of last month’s spectacular blow-up, Space Transport Corp. is aiming for the second test launch of a Rubicon rocket from Washington state’s Olympic Peninsula during the weekend of Sept. 25-26, co-founder Philip Storm said today. A new location has been selected for the launch site, and the rocket engine has gone through more rigorous testing. “We won’t have that engine problem again,” Storm said. Like the first attempt, the upcoming launch would use just two engines rather than the full complement of seven, with a target altitude of 4 miles (6.4 kilometers). Eventually, Space Transport wants to send a rocket to the 100-kilometer mark as part of its Ansari X Prize effort, but the timing for that launch is “up in the air,” Storm said. For a humorous take on Space Transport’s mission, check out the latest installment of the “Stevie Austin Project.”