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Aussie Goes for Rocket-Powered World Land Speed Record; SpaceDev Expected to Provide Rocket Motors.


PERTH, Australia Perth may refer to:
  • Perth, Western Australia, the capital of the Australian state of Western Australia
  • City of Perth, a Local Government Area in and around the central business district of Perth
 -- Rosco McGlashan Rosco McGlashan OAM an Australian Drag racing record-holder, who currently holds the Australian land speed record at 500 mph (802.6 km/h). This record was set on the 27 March 1994 on the dry salt flats of Lake Gairdner, South Australia 440 km (275 miles) northwest of Adelaide. , the "Fastest Aussie on Earth" will attempt to become the fastest man in the world by exceeding 900 mph in his new rocket powered Aussie Invader race car. McGlashan announced that he is engaged in ongoing design discussions for the world's fastest car with rocket motor developer SpaceDev (OTCBB OTCBB

See OTC Bulletin Board (OTCBB).
: SPDV SPDV SpaceDev Inc. (commercial space exploration company)
SPDV Site Preliminary Design Validation
) of Poway, California, and with car designer John "Ackers" Ackroyd of the Isle of Wight Noun 1. Isle of Wight - an isle and county of southern England in the English Channel
Wight

county - (United Kingdom) a region created by territorial division for the purpose of local government; "the county has a population of 12,345 people"
.

In 1997, McGlashan was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for driving a jet-propelled car to a speed of 642 mph. McGlashan announced that he will attempt to set a new World Land Speed Record in a car propelled by a rocket motor which he expects to be provided by SpaceDev. SpaceDev recently provided the critical rocket motor propulsion technology for the history-making SpaceShipOne in its winning of the $10 million Ansari X Prize The Ansari X PRIZE was a space competition in which the X PRIZE Foundation offered a US$10,000,000 prize for the first non-government organization to launch a reusable manned spacecraft into space twice within two weeks.  on October 4, 2004.

"This is an exciting once-in-a-lifetime adventure that I have been looking forward to for most of my life," said McGlashan. "The only way these speeds can be accomplished is with the power produced by a rocket motor, and the only rocket motor I trust and that has a successful track record is the rubber-burning hybrid rocket motors developed by SpaceDev, and that is why I have selected SpaceDev and Ackers, pending project funding."

SpaceDev has provided preliminary conceptual designs and analyses of high thrust rocket motors equivalent to 200,000 hp. McGlashan said he intends to put SpaceDev under contract to develop and deliver the rocket motors, immediately upon raising initial funds for this project. SpaceDev's non-exploding rocket motors use inert synthetic rubber as the fuel, and to make the rubber burn, the motors use nitrous oxide nitrous oxide or nitrogen (I) oxide, chemical compound, N2O, a colorless gas with a sweetish taste and odor. Its density is 1.977 grams per liter at STP. It is soluble in water, alcohol, ether, and other solvents.  (N2O N2O Nitrous Oxide (dinitrogen oxide) ), commonly known as laughing gas laughing gas: see nitrous oxide.

laughing gas

(nitrous oxide) sweet-smelling, colorless gas; produces feeling of euphoria. [Medicine: Misc.]

See : Laughter
, as the oxidizer ox·i·diz·er
n.
A substance that oxidizes another substance; an oxidizing agent. Also called oxidant.
. Several months ago, McGlashan approached SpaceDev to design, build, test and integrate the world's largest rocket motor of its kind into the race car in a facility near SpaceDev's headquarters.

"I am very proud that Rosco approached SpaceDev to determine the feasibility of powering the world's fastest car, and that he intends to contract with us to design and provide the rocket motors for his race car," said Jim Benson, SpaceDev's founding chairman and chief executive. "I love a challenge, and this would be a really fun application for SpaceDev's unique rocket motors. We are seriously investigating this opportunity, and are assisting Rosco in his fund-raising efforts. We recently helped create the world's first private sector astronauts, and now we have been asked to help Rosco become the world's fastest man!"

The 16,000-pound race car is expected to be designed by John "Ackers" Ackroyd of the Isle of Wight. Ackers designed the World Land Speed Record setter Thrust 2 which "stopped the clocks" at 633 mph in 1983 at Black Rock in Nevada. Ackers has also worked with the Aussie Invader Team for many years as well as several hot air balloon This article is about hot air balloons themselves. For the associated activity, see Hot air ballooning.

The hot air balloon is the oldest successful human-carrying flight technology, dating back to its invention by the Montgolfier brothers in Annonay,
 projects and countless special projects where a fast thinking, no nonsense engineer is mandatory.

The project is expected to take three years and cost less than (US) $10 million. McGlashan is busy planning the design and development of the Aussie Invader and its rocket motor with Ackers and SpaceDev, and has mounted a money raising campaign to obtain the necessary funding for the project. Sponsors and contributors are being sought from throughout the world for this highly visible, challenging, and history-making attempt. More information can be found at www.aussieinvader.com.

About SpaceDev

SpaceDev (OTCBB: SPDV) creates and sells affordable and innovative space products and solutions to government and commercial enterprises. SpaceDev's innovations include the design, manufacture, marketing and operation of sophisticated micro- and nano- satellites, hybrid rocket-based orbital Maneuvering and orbital Transfer Vehicles as well as sub-orbital sand orbital hybrid rocket-based propulsion systems for safe human space flight. For more information, visit www.spacedev.com.

This news release may contain forward-looking statements concerning the Company's business and future prospects and other similar statements that do not concern matters of historical fact. Forward-looking statements are based on the Company's current expectations. The Company's current expectations are subject to all of the uncertainties and risks customarily associated with developing business ventures outlined in the Company's periodic reports filed with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements contained in this release and to read it in conjunction with the Company's annual report on Form 10-KSB, including the consolidated financial statements Consolidated Financial Statements

The combined financial statements of a parent company and its subsidiaries.

Notes:
Because consolidated financial statements present an aggregated look at the financial position of a parent and its subsidiaries, they enable you to gauge
 filed therewith there·with  
adv.
1. With that, this, or it.

2. In addition to that.

3. Archaic Immediately thereafter.

Adv. 1.
. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or for any other reason.
COPYRIGHT 2005 Business Wire
No portion of this article can be reproduced without the express written permission from the copyright holder.
Copyright 2005, Gale Group. All rights reserved. Gale Group is a Thomson Corporation Company.

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Publication:Business Wire
Date:Jan 4, 2005
Words:773
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