MOJAVE, Calif. – With the Tom Sachs space-themed art exhibit, “Space Program: Mars” as a backdrop, XCOR Aerospace named Space Expedition Corporation as the new General Sales Agent for the XCOR owned Lynx Suborbital vehicle flying from the Mojave Air and Spaceport, Calif.
SXC was previously announced as the first wet lease customer for a Lynx production vehicle with planned flights from Curacao.
The GSA places the responsibility with SXC for ticket sales through the extensive network of XCOR Space Tourism Specialists and for astronaut training and relations for XCOR Lynx flights from Mojave. Currently, the combined sales of Lynx fights between XCOR and SXC are more than 175 flights, with a published retail price of $95,000.
In making the announcement, Andrew Nelson, chief operating officer of XCOR, noted, “In SXC, you will not find a better team of commercial space retail marketers and sales professionals in the world. We are very pleased to have them on our team and sharing their knowledge and experience with our Space Tourism Specialists.”
As GSA, Space Expedition Corporation will support an existing sales channel of over 100 high end adventure travel focused agents and agencies who have been certified as “Space Tourism Specialists.” SXC assumes the GSA role from RocketShip Tours whose founder passed late last year. “We are very excited about the future of space travel, the naming of our new GSA, and we hope, the introduction of the Lynx into commercial service by the end of next year,” said Nelson.
Commenting from the hangar floor in Mojave where the Lynx is being assembled, Jeff Greason, XCOR CEO, noted, “In the past nine months, Michiel Mol and Harry van Hulten have led the marketing, sales and training program development teams for our wet lease customer, Space Expedition Curacao, and sold over 70 flights for the Curacao operation. With this incredible professionalism and success, we are very happy to have them step in and contribute to the introduction of Lynx commercial service by maintaining and accelerating the momentum in the personal spaceflight sales channel.”
“We are especially honored and proud to be named GSA by XCOR,” said Michiel Mol, CEO of Space Expedition Corporation, “By signing this agreement XCOR maintains their focus on the development of the Lynx series of spaceships while SXC will focus on ticket sales, training missions and astronaut relations. The opportunity to work with so many fine agents and agencies in the Space Tourism Specialist network, and add to that network with additional qualified groups, is a challenge we look forward to accepting. There is no other experience like the Lynx, it is completely unique in the world, a pinnacle life event for the participant, and there is no other company that can bring you this experience so soon except for XCOR, Space Expedition Corporation and our Space Tourism Specialists. The Lynx Experience may be booked by contacting SXC or our Space Tourism Specialists.”
Space Expedition Corporation was established in 2008 by two Royal Netherlands Air Force Pilots: Maj. Harry van Hulten, a U.S. Edwards AFB trained test pilot and Ben Droste, retired lieutenant general and former commander of the Royal Netherlands Air Force. SXC is based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and on the Island of Curacao in the Caribbean.
