1. Sounding Rocket Validation of Low-Cost Launch Vehicle Technology Microcosm, Inc.Torrance, CA Innovation Small suborbital rocket. • Accomplishments • Development stage: Prototype • Constructed vehicle and launcher -- scheduled flight test for 1/99. Commercialization • Product/service name or trademark name: ScorpiusTM • US Patent No. 5799902 issued 9/98. • Primary target/potential market sectors: Microgravity experiments, sounding rockets, and target vehicles. • Very strong interest expressed by military community in low-cost target vehicle. • Unique competitive advantage: Cost estimated at one-half to one-third of existing vehicles. First SR-S Vehicle on Erector-Launcher • Government/Science Applications • Potential use by the US Air Force, US Navy, US Army, and BMDO, for use during weapons testing and operations training. • Received NASA SBIR Phase III contract for $198,421 as a continuation of their Phase II effort. • When fully developed as a launch vehicle, saving could be in excess of $100M/year in suborbital vehicles alone. Points of Contact: - NASA (Denise Swain; 256/544-8112) - Microcosm, Inc. (Alice Wertz; 310/320-0555) 1995 SBIR Phase 2; NAS8-97013 Marshall Space Flight Center Date of Update: 1/26/99 Success Story #: 8-033