John Carmack folds of its space activities
Well-known game publisher and businessman John Carmack space closes its space company Armadillo Aerospace, as the latter does not fulfill the tasks and does not reach the stated goals. Recall that in the computer world Carmack is known as the author of a series of games Quake. This week, he also held a conference QuakeCon in Dallas. Armadillo Aerospace Company is a private enterprise, it has established Carmack in 2000 and the company was one of the pioneers of private space. Immediately after the establishment of Armadillo said it will fight for NASA contracts and turned to developing low-cost missiles reusable. Create a scheduled company could not.
"I fired almost all the major employees. We were a couple of people who are employed are not full-time and one full-time person. poses But we still are developing, I still have the technical data and materials, but I have not got the money to continue to fund the project, "- says Carmack. According to him, he spent about $ 1 million a year to support Armadillo, but now this amount "significantly reduced." "I spend around a couple of hundred thousand dollars, but we still pay for accountants, lawyers, insurance will pay. we speak with different people, and we hope soon to receive significant financial support, but if we do not get a job have to roll, "- says Carmack. Carmack said that the company's problems began in January of this year when, during prototype testing missiles with the main engines opening the parachute did not happen, and the engines are not worked properly landing stage.
At the same time, Carmack said that the company already had a tough time in 2004 and 2006, when they also were on the verge of closing, but found a way out of the situation. Carmack Two years ago, began implementing a plan to fast-track the development of a suborbital rocket and started in Dallas kraudfandingovuyu campaign. Then it was planned that the rocket will load and will be based on the platform that has been created. However, spending about $ 2.5 million in its development, the company could not succeed here. Carmack said that he personally invested about $ 8 million of personal funds in Armadillo Aerospace, however, he believes that it was not enough and the company has not received sufficient spurt to start large-scale activity.
Himself John Carmack says that now his attention about a 50/50 split between Armadillo Aerospace and its principal place of work - the company id Software. He also said that he was glad of the fact that in the world there are private companies that have been successful in the private space. For example, Elon Musk, head of SpaceX, he called a great designer and businessman, and the success with which SpaceX is working, he calls the "great".
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