On or before 31 December 2000 Pacific Standard Time (zone -8), Rotary Rocket, or its successor or asignee, will launch a Roton vehicle that recrosses the launch meridian or lands not more than ten minutes of longitude west of the launching site after circling the Earth at least once without an intervening landing and in less than two hours from the time of launch.
A Roton vehicle shall be defined as one which ascends to orbit without staging or use of jettisonable boosters, using for primary launch thrust a rotary rocket engine in which centrifugal effects of the engine's rotation replace high pressure pumps, whether or not the current (as of March 1999) helicopter landing scheme is retained. There is no requirement that the vehicle carry any payload or pilot(s). It is irrelevant whether the vehicle reenters the Earth's atmosphere, intact or otherwise.
Ambiguity clause: I will judge this claim based on its precise wording, unless this wording conflicts with my perception of the intent of the claim. If both intent and wording are ambiguous, I will look for a solution that causes the least damage to FX as a market and game. If you have any questions, or think you may have found a loophole, please contact me!!
Background: Here's the Rotary Rocket web site. Aviation Week has a nice (presumably impartial) in-depth technical analysis of the feasibility of the Roton design. Check it out!
6/22/99 Rotary Rocket has just announced they plan to switch to a low-risk conventional engine for the Roton. This claim specifically requires a *rotary* rocket engine!
