Boeing drops out of DARPA Experimental Spaceplane program

[Elderberry]

Space News by Jeff Foust — January 22, 2020

Boeing has decided to no longer continue development of an experimental suborbital spaceplane for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the latest setback for DARPA’s long-running efforts in space access.

In a Jan. 22 statement to SpaceNews, DARPA spokesman Jared Adams said that Boeing had notified the agency of its decision to exit the Experimental Spaceplane Program “immediately.” DARPA didn’t state why Boeing was dropping out of the program.

“Following a detailed review, Boeing is ending our role in the Experimental Spaceplane (XSP) program immediately,” Boeing spokesman Jerry Drelling said. “We will now redirect our investment from XSP to other Boeing programs that span the sea, air and space domains.”

DARPA selected Boeing in May 2017 for Phases 2 and 3 of what was originally called the XS-1 program. Phase 2 covered the development of the vehicle, while Phase 3 called for up to 15 flight tests of the vehicle, then scheduled for 2020.

More: https://spacenews.com/boeing-drops-out-of-darpa-experimental-spaceplane-program/