Category Archives: NewSpace

Tuesday / 1 April 2014

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Astrobotic Technology Inc Successfully Tests Autolanding System

AstroboticAutolanding0414

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 / 21 March 2014

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Hawai`i Student Lander Experiment Aims To Fly To Moon On 2015 GLXP Mission

Hawaii Student Moon GLXP

Hawaii STEM Initiative Headed By Rob Kelso Of PISCES (Hilo HI) To Send High School-Built Laser-Based Imaging System To Moon On Undisclosed GLXP Team And / Or Moon Express Lander In 2015; Instrument To Collect Data On Engine & Regolith Interaction; NASA KSC To Provide Mentoring, Engineering Assistance, Equipment Testing; Hawaii Schools Raising ~US$300K To Develop Hardware / Software, Conduct Analog Field Testing; NanoRacks Providing Final Flight Fabrication, Testing & Certification Of Flight Hardware

Image Credit: NASA, PISCES, ME, NanoRacks

Wednesday / 19 March 2014

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Andrew Aldrin To Pilot Moon Express, Inc. To Moon

AldrinME

Moon Express Names Andrew Aldrin, Son Of Apollo 11 Pilot Buzz Aldrin, As President; Company Has Grown To Over 40 Employees Making It Largest Dedicated Staff Focused On Returning American Craft To Moon Surface; First Moon Mission (MX-1) Expected In 2015 To Compete For GLXP & To Deploy Precursor Instrument (ILO-X) Of Joint Venture Partner International Lunar Observatory Association; Dr Aldrin Has Previously Worked As Director Of Business Development And Advanced Systems For Both ULA & Boeing

Image Credit: Moon Express, Inc.

Thursday / 13 March 2014

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Apollo Marketing Success: Lessons For Modern Human Space Endeavors

MarketingTheMoon

New Book By David Meerman Scott (L) & Richard Jurek (R) Examines How NASA Successfully Marketed Apollo Program; Authors Then Evaluate Applicable Lessons For 21st Century Space Exploration: NASA Needs Unified Theme / Powerful Story To Focus Highly Fractured Global Audience, Work With Contractors Such As SpaceX On Human Mission Marketing, Allow Contractors To Take PR Lead; Challenge For Commercial Space Entrepreneurs Is Identifying Demand, Not Marketing Strategy

Image Credit: marketingthemoon.com

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

Wednesday / 19 February 2014

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Bigelow Trailblazing Path For Commercial Lunar Development

BigelowGold0214

Bigelow Aerospace Request To FAA Office Of Commercial Space Transportation Is Attempt To Start Discussion On Space / Lunar Property Rights Says Director Of DC Operations Mike Gold; Company Seeking Organic Zone Of Operation Around Future Lunar Habitat In Which No Other USA Entities Would Be Able To Enter; Robert Bigelow Says Moon Mining More Sensible Than Asteroid Harvesting; Commends NASA For Moving From COTS Model To SAA / BAA Customer Model To Support Commercial Space

Image Credit: Bigelow Aerospace

Tuesday / 18 February 2014

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GLXP: True Contenders Emerging

GLXPcontenders0214

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

Friday / 14 February 2014

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Space Frontier Foundation Welcomes
New Leadership, Developments

SFF Return to the Moon

New Generation Takes Over At SFF: NewSpace Entrepreneur Jeff Feige (R) To Be Chairman, Co-Founder Bob Werb Retires; Next Phase Of Development Should Revisit Past / Fundamental Vision = Open Space Frontier To Human Settlement As Rapidly As Possible With Return To The Moon; Space Settlement & Return To The Moon Projects Still Incomplete; Momentum Of Return To The Moon Conferences (1999-2005) Needs To Be Reestablished

Image Credit: SFF

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 31 Jan – 3 Feb 2014

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Moon Astronomy Revolution

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Chang’e-3 LUT Operating Nominally, According To Jianyan Wei Of NAOC/CAS, After 2 Productive Lunar Days In Which It Observed 23 Stars Of Draco Constellation, Conducted Long-Duration Observation Of Variable Stars & Produced Mosaic Sky Survey; This Historic Precedent Of Viability Of & Opportunity For Astronomy From Lunar Surface Should Give Encouragement & Confidence To Global Astronomy, Space Exploration & NewSpace Communities Seeking To Advance Humanity As Multi World Species

Image Credit: NAOC/CAS, ILOA