The CEO of the US/Romanian launch provider, ARCA, Dumitru Popescu has had all charges dropped against him after representing himself on a Grand Jury trial on May 11th, 2018. Popesco had been accused of a fraud after allegations were made by his ex-wife and a case against him was brought by the State of New Mexico (despite the FBI’s refusal to take up the case). Popescu, who represented himself after firing his own lawyer, won the case after jurors rejected the indictment, and all 18 charges were dismissed by the state prosecutor.
ARCA Linear Aerospike engine on test stand (right) next to rocket design (left). Courtesy: ARCA
ARCA hopes to continue its NASA-supported research at its base at Las Cruses, New Mexico, into low cost single-stage-to-orbit rocket launches using a linear aerospike form of rocket engine. US government support had been suspended until after the legal proceedings had been concluded.
