Editing Rotary Rocket (section)

== Criticism of the design ==

Rotary Rocket failed due to lack of funding, but some{{who|date=February 2013}} have suggested that the design itself was inherently flawed.{{citation needed|date=April 2023}}

The Rotary Rocket did fly three test flights and a composite propellant tank survived a full test program, however these tests revealed problems. For instance, the ATV demonstrated that landing the Rotary Rocket was tricky, even dangerous. Test pilots have a rating system, the [[Cooper-Harper rating scale]], for vehicles between 1 and 10 that relates to difficulty to pilot. The Roton ATV scored a 10 — the vehicle simulator was found to be almost unflyable by anyone except the Rotary test pilots, and even then there were short periods where the vehicle was out of control.{{citation needed|date=November 2010}}

Other aspects of the flight plan remained unproven and it is unknown whether Roton could have developed sufficient performance to reach orbit with a single stage, and return – although on paper this might have been possible.{{citation needed|date=April 2023}}