With more than 24 “we plan to launch” commercial rocket startups entering the business, and with only 2 (Scaled Composites with SpaceShipOne and SpaceShipTwo, and SpaceX’s Falcon) getting serious press time, it is difficult to describe a generic rocket profile. However, we can look at InterOrbital Systems’ to view a detailed briefing of one modular approach into low earth orbit.

IOS’s modular rocket system (the Neptune) is about to test a one-module Common Propulsion Module (CPM) as a sounding rocket/flight test. The company has a completed rocket, mobile launch rail, and FAA permit. All its rocket plans use one or more CPMs, bundled for the mission needs. One CPM is a suborbital (ballistic) launch, but IOS is not interested in suborbital.