AEROSPACE

McDonnell DC-X Rocket Gets Reprieve: McDonnell Douglas Corp. said its radical DC-X space-launch rocket, which was about to be mothballed after exhausting its initial government funding, will instead remain “in a readiness state” thanks to a $1-million infusion from NASA. In its first three flight tests last year, the DC-X fulfilled its goal of lifting off and then landing vertically, but plans for more flights were scrapped when the money ran out. NASA and the Defense Department will spend two months studying ways to finance the remaining tests, McDonnell said.