Lockheed - Martin X-33 Venture StarNASA X 33 Venture Star display model. On July 2, 1996, NASA competitively selected Lockheed Martin for a government industry partnership to design, build and fly the experimental X 33 rocket plane. The X 33 vehicle will demonstrate advanced technologies to dramatically increase launch vehicle safety, reliability and lower the cost of putting a pound of payload into space from $10,000 to $1,000. The X 33 is a half scale prototype of a reusable launch