Established: XCOR was founded in 1999 by Jeff Greason, Doug Jones, Dan DeLong and Aleta Jackson. Current location: Mojave Air & Space Port, Mojave, Calif. Staff: More than 40. Funding: Research and development funding has come from a variety of sources including, private investors, revenue from consulting services, commercial development programs and government research contracts. The company recently announced it finished raising $5 million that when combined with cash on hand will allow it to complete the production of the first version of the Lynx suborbital vehicle, said Andrew Nelson, chief operating officer. - In 2001, XCOR created the EZ-Rocket, which was the first rocket-powered aircraft built and flown by a non-governmental entity. - In 2007, Inc. Magazine named XCOR among the top 500 fastest-growing companies after it experienced a 646 percent revenue growth between 2003 and 2006. - In 2008, XCOR completed flight testing of the X-Racer, which completed seven flights in one day. - In total, the staff has completed nearly 4,000 engine firings and 500 minutes of run-time on its engines. - XCOR now is working on the Lynx, which will allow for a pilot and passenger to fly to the suborbital level, or about 62 miles above the earth. The vehicle will allow for sub-orbital research at what Nelson describes as a more affordable rate. Rides also are being sold on the Lynx for $95,000 each and will allow the company to take part in the space tourism industry. About 175 already have been purchased. The Lynx price, according to several articles, is a "bargain" when compared with the cost of rides with companies like Virgin Galactic, which has pre-sold at least 500 rides that each cost $200,000. It's anticipated the first flights will be available in 2013. - In August, XCOR announced it had been selected by NASA to provide suborbital flights and payload integration services for research and scientific missions. The program will offer up to $10 million in contracts for XCOR. — Jeff Greason, president: A co-founder of XCOR, Greason has about 20 years of experience between XCOR, Rotary Rocket Co. and Intel Corp. He led the engineering team that developed 11 reusable rocket engines, among several other duties at the company. He’s a member of the Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee. He holds 18 U.S. patents and is a graduate of the California Institute of Technology. — Dan DeLong, vice president and chief engineer: DeLong co-founded XCOR and has been designing, testing and fabricating systems for more than 35 years. At XCOR, he is the design lead for all new hardware development. Previously, he spent time with several companies including, Rotary Rocket Co., Teledyne Brown and Boeing, where he worked for about 10 years on space station support hardware and development projects. He holds a bachelor’s in engineering from Cornell University. — Andrew Nelson, chief operating officer: Nelson was hired by XCOR in 2008. He worked previously with Morgan Stanley and the Lehman Brothers where he was an advisor to entrepreneurs and their companies, as well as others with complex investment banking needs. Before working on Wall Street, Nelson spent about 15 years in the aerospace, aviation and space industry. He has a degree in electrical engineering from Ohio University and an MBA in finance and entrepreneurship from MIT’s Sloan School of Management.