Scaled Composites

Scaled Composites formerly known as Rutan Aircraft Factory is an aerospace company founded in 1982 by aircraft designer and aeronautical genius Elbert L. “Burt” Rutan. The company located in Mojave, California, is dedicated to the design and development of concept aircraft implementing fabrication processes for aircraft building and many type of vehicles. It is perhaps the most prolific developer of aircraft types in the world. The company traces back to 1972 when Burt started Rutan Aircraft. In the beginning, the company intentions were just to manufacture experimental light aircraft incorporating composites and creative designs, selling them as kits or plans for sport aviation enthusiast eager to start a homebuilt project in their own garage. Some 3.000 kits were sold throughout the years; most of them are still flying today. http://www.scaled.com/index.html

Scaled Composites has a long history of designing extremely unique and difficult vehicles, from cars to aircraft and to spaceships. The company is also famous for its extensive us of composite materials in aircraft fabrication and integrating all type of engine propulsion systems into their projects. Flight research has been always one of the strengths of this company, completing 37 manned research aircraft summed to the long experience in tooling production, manufacturing and aerodynamic analysis. Some of the commercial, government and military aircraft projects that Scaled has completed over the years are the Adam M309, Ares, Bell Eagle Eye, Boomerang, DCX, Freewing, Global Flyer, Pegasus, Proteus, Starship, SpaceShip One, Triumph, V-Jet II, Vantage, Voyager, WhiteKnight One, or the latest additions like the WhiteKnight Two and SpaceShip Two, and vehicles like the GM Car. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scaled_Composites

• Conceptual Design

• Aerodynamic Design

• Structural Analysis & Design

• Tooling

• Fabrication

• Structural Testing

• Flight Testing

Burt Rutan is perhaps the greatest aeronautical designer that has ever lived. Most of Rutan´s designs became true built aircraft. The number of designs is staggering, some 14 aircraft during the Rutan Aircraft era and another 27 at Scaled Composites. He has earned almost every honor in the aviation world, obtaining among other the Collier Trophy and the FAI golden medal for aeronautical achievements. With Scaled, Burt broke some of the most impressive records in aviation like the 1986 flight around the world by the Voyager, the first aircraft to circumnavigate the globe non-stop and piloted by his brother Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager; the 2004 spacecraft SpaceShip One first private manned mission into space which won the Ansari X-Prize and was flown by Mike Melvill and Brian Binnie; or the 2005 Virgin Atlantic Global Flyer first solo non-stop, non-refueled flight around the world, piloted by Steve Fosset.

One of the main goals in the near future for Scaled is to offer the rocket flight experience to the limit of space for the same cost of a luxury cruise. In 2005, the Virgin Group from multimillionaire Sir Richard Branson and Scaled Composites created the new Spaceship Company to build a fleet of commercial sub-orbital spaceships and launch aircraft that will develop the world's first commercial passenger spacecraft. The company will own the designs of the new SpaceShipTwo and White Knight Two with Virgin Galactic as a launching customer. http://www.scaled.com/news/2005-07-27_branson_rutan_spaceship_company.html

1972 - Rutan Aircraft Factory was created.

1975 - VariEze became one of the most innovative designs in aircraft history.

1978 - Quickie experimental aircraft was unveiled.

1979 - Long-EZ, homebuilt aircraft with a canard was launched.

1982 - Scaled Composites was founded.

1985 - Scaled Composites purchased by Beech Aircraft.

Dec. 23, 1986 - Voyager became the first aircraft to circumnavigate the Earth non-stop.

1988 - Starship radical design became 1st. certified all-composite aircraft in history.

1988 - Raytheon parent company of Beech sold Scaled Composites back to Burt.

1989 - Scaled Composites acquired by Wyman-Gordon Co.

1996 - Boomerang, a unique asymmetric aircraft design was unveiled.

1997 - V-Jet II developed for turbine manufacturer Williams International.

June 21, 2004 - SpaceShip One achieves 1st. private manned mission to space.

Oct. 04, 2004 - SpaceShip One flies twice within 14 days and wins the $10 million X-Prize.

Mar. 03, 2005 - Virgin Atlantic Global Flyer completes 1st. solo non-stop, non-refueled flight around the world.

Aug. 24, 2007 - Northrop Grumman acquires Scaled Composites.

Jan. 23, 2008 - Virgin Galactic unveils WhiteKnight Two and SpaceShip Two.

Dec. 23, 2008 - WhiteKnight Two makes first flight.

May 28, 2009 - Successful SpaceShip Two rocket motor testing.

• Boeing

• Lockheed Martin Aeronautics

• Raytheon

• UP Aerospace

• Space X

• Blue Origin

• Swedish Space Corporation

• Masten Space systems

• Armadillo Aerospace