ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, June 9, 1996 TAG: 9606100028
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-9 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE, N.M.
The rocket burst into the air, zipped up to 10,300 feet, moved sideways, then landed standing up - all in just over two minutes Saturday.
It was the third successful test flight for the Clipper Graham, a 42-foot-tall reusable prototype that may eventually replace the space shuttle.
``We're rocking and rolling,'' said Pete Conrad, a former Apollo astronaut and the Clipper's flight manager for McDonnell Douglas, which is developing the rocket.
The unmanned rocket ascended at 300 feet per second, moved laterally 550 feet and then back toward the launch site for 200 feet before descending to its landing pad.
The craft also flew Friday morning, completing the first part of a two-phase test intended to show that it was not only reusable, but could return to the air with a minimum amount of downtime.
- Associated Press
LENGTH: Short : 29 linesby CNB