An experimental reusable rocket that is expected to replace the aging U.S. space shuttle fleet completed its second test flight in 26 hours over the New Mexico desert Saturday, NASA officials said.
“We’re rockin’ and rollin,’ ” said astronaut Pete Conrad, who landed on the Moon in 1969 and operated Saturday’s rocket via computer.
The 40-foot rocket blasted off, soared 10,300 feet and then turned around and landed nose-up 142 seconds later.
The flight was the third of five test flights planned as part of a $50 billion program aimed at creating lightweight rockets that can return to the landing pad.
Storm clouds had delayed Saturday’s rocket launch, which was originally scheduled for Friday evening, eight hours after an earlier flight.
Friday, the rocket reached a height of 2,500 feet and flew laterally about 550 feet in a 32-second flight, a White Sands spokesman said. The first test flight was May 18.
The new rockets, which will require far fewer people to operate than are involved in a shuttle mission, are scheduled to be in regular use by 2000.
