Category Archives: Astrobotic

Thursday / 19 June 2014

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Astrobotic Wants To Facilitate 1st Race On Moon

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Astrobotic Technology Offering To Carry At Least 4 GLXP Team Rovers To Lunar Surface On Its Inaugural Mission To Lacus Mortis Region; Rovers Would  Simultaneously Begin 500-Meter Race To Win GLXP After Landing; CEO John Thornton Says This Will Create More Exciting Race, 1st International Competition On Another World; New Astrobotic Website Features Innovative ‘Configure Your Mission’ Page For Potential Payload Customers; Charging US$1.2M/kg For Delivery To Lunar Surface

Image Credit: GLXP

Friday / 2 May 2014

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Lunar CATALYST Partnerships Begin

Lunar CATALYST

Astrobotic, Moon Express & Masten Negotiating No-Funds-Exchanged Space Act Agreements With NASA For Lunar Cargo Transportation And Landing By Soft Touchdown (Lunar CATALYST) Initiative To Advance Lunar Lander Capabilities; NASA To Provide Technical Expertise, Equipment / Software Loans, Access To Test Facilities For 3 Years; Astrobotic (Griffin Lander) & Moon Express (MX-1) Plan To Launch To Moon 2015 / Win GLXP; Masten Refining / Testing Xombie & Xaero, Designing Xeus

Image Credit: ME, Astrobotic, Masten, NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 25-28 April 2014

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Friends Of The Moon Campaign: USA Scientists Call For Human Moon Exploration

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Clive Neal Urging Scientific Community To Write Letters To Congress & Obama Administration Stating Priority / Importance Of USA Human Moon Missions; Campaign Is In Response To Recent NASA Blunt Anti-Moon Exploration Statements; Neal Notes Administration Consistently Claims That It Listens To & Integrates Advice O f Scientists In Policy Making; GLXP Teams Using Lunar Exploration Opportunities To Inspire Next Generation Of Scientists

Image Credit: NASA, GLXP, nd.edu

Tuesday / 1 April 2014

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Astrobotic Technology Inc Successfully Tests Autolanding System

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GLXP Team Tests New Landing Sensor At Mojave Air & Space Port In CA; Astrobotic Autolanding System (AAS) Utilizes 2 Cameras, Scanning Laser, Inertial Measurement Unit; Low-Power Lightweight System Relies On Hi-Res LRO Lunar Surface Imagery, Makes Decisions Without Human Input; Flawless Flight Test Utilized Masten Aerospace Xombie Rocket, Descended From 250m, Used AAS To Detect Hazards & Select Landing Site; Pictured Astrobotic CEO John Thornton

Image Credit: Astrobotic Technology Inc

Friday / 28 March 2014

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18 GLXP Teams Working Toward
2015 Moon Missions

GLXP Teams Mar 2014

Weekly GLXP Teams Virtual Hangouts To Occur Every Tuesday; Astrobotic Announces Other Teams Will Join Its Mission Soon; 5 Competing For US$6M Terrestrial Prizes: Team Indus, Hakuto, Part-Time Scientists, Astrobotic, Moon Express (Latter 2 Are Only Teams To Advance To Accomplishment Round In All 3 Categories – Landing, Mobility, Imaging); Synergy Moon Building NEPTUNE L-1000 Launch Vehicle With Partner Company Interorbital Systems; SpaceIL Raises $21M, SpaceMETA $10M

Image Credit: GLXP, ME, Indus, Hakuto, PT Scientists, Astrobotic, IOS, Synergy Moon

Friday / 7 March 2014

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Japan Diverse Interests In Moon Missions

Japan Moon

Japan Scientists Preparing For 2nd SELenological and ENgineering Explorer (SELENE-2) Moon Mission Consisting Of Orbiter, Lander, Rover To Launch NET 2018; SELENE-3 Sample Return To Follow, Eventually Human Moon Missions & Outpost; Japan Team Hakuto Strong Contender For GLXP / Selected To Compete For Terrestrial Milestone Prizes; Commercial Interest & Advertising From Moon Highlighted By Japan Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Planning To Send ‘Pocari Sweat’ Sports Drink To Moon Surface On Astrobotic Lunar Lander

Image Credit: JAXA, GLXP, Hakuto

Thursday / 20 February 2014

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GLXP Milestone Prize Contenders Announced

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9-Member Independent Judging Panel Selects Teams To Compete For 3 Terrestrial Milestone Prizes: US$1M Landing System Prize – Astrobotic (AT), Moon Express (ME), Team Indus; $500K Mobility Subsystem Prize – AT, ME, Hakuto, Part-Time-Scientists (PTS); $250K Imaging Subsystem Prize – AT, ME, PTS, Team Indus; Teams Have Until Sep 2014 To Complete Prize Requirements; Many Experts Believe GLXP Unattainable By 2015 Time Limit, Though Teams Remain Confident

Image Credit: GLXP, Moon Express

Tuesday / 18 February 2014

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GLXP: True Contenders Emerging

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Moon Express & Other GLXP Favorites Await Announcement Of Terrestrial Milestone Prizes Finalists, Expected Later This Week, Should Help Reveal Real Contenders; Contest Now Down To 18 Teams From Original Field Of 30; Astrobotic Receives Contract To Deliver ASTROSCALE Lunar Dream Time Capsule To Moon Surface On Its Oct 2015 Mission; 1 Week Left For Lunar Lion Crowdfunding Campaign

Image Credit: Astrobotic Technology, Moon Express

New Year / Holiday Edition
Wed 25 Dec 2013 – Fri 3 Jan 2014

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2020 Vision: Humanity A Multi World Species

LED-12-12-13Multi Nation Science And Commerce Human Lunar Expeditions 2019-2020 Preceded By Moon South Pole International Traffic Jam 2015-2016 With Robotic Landings From USA, PRC, Japan, India, Russia, as well as Moon Express / ILOA, Golden Spike, Shackleton Energy, Astrobotic, Lunar Lions, Others; NEOs, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn Next

Ad Astra — Happy New Year / Holidays To All

 Image Credit: NASA, ILOA, ME, Penn State Lunar Lions, Astrobotic Technology

Weekend Edition / Fri-Mon 4-7 October 2013

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GLXP Teams Poised To Make Valuable Contributions To Lunar Exploration

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Astrobotic Conducts Full Deployment Field Test Of Moon Cave Exploration Robot ‘Tyrobot’, Producing 3D Model Of A Pit In PA; Barcelona Moon Provides Info About Their Launcher / Lander / Rover & Budget (US$73M); Omega Envoy Set To Debut Student-Designed ‘Artemis’ Rover At Mini Maker Faire In FL, 5 Oct; Futron Says Potential For Lunar Markets From 2011-2019 Is ~US$1.56B 

Image Credit: GLXP, Futron