Category Archives: Google Lunar XPRIZE

Thursday / 8 October 2015

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Israel Google Lunar XPrize Team SpaceIL Declares Launch Contract With SpaceX

1082015With Competition Extension Deadline Approaching SpaceIL Ticket Aboard SpaceX Falcon 9 For Second Half Of 2017 Extends Competition; GLXP Vice Chairman Bob Weiss (BL) Confirms SpaceIL “As The First And Only” Team To Have Verified Launch Contract; Launcher Was Purchased Via Spaceflight Industries With President Curt Blake (BC) Sharing Excitement In Achieving “SpaceIL’s Quest To Win The Google Lunar XPRIZE”; In Order To Win Team Will Need To Land On Moon & Rover Must Explore 500 Meters Then Transmit Images Back To Earth; Contender Moon Express Announcement With Rocket Lab Also Supporting Its Competition Goals; Teams Astrobotic & Hakuto Planning Cooperative Launch Also Aboard SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket

Pictured (BR): SpaceIL Team

Credit: GLXP, SpaceX, SpaceIL, Spaceflight Industries, Moon Express, Astrobotic, Hakuto

Thursday / 1 October 2015

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Launch Contract By End Of Year Vital For GLXP Competition To Continue

1012015Of Remaining 16 Google Lunar X Prize Teams, One Must Secure Launch Contract By 31 Dec To Extend Competition To 2017; Front Runners Are Moon Express & Astrobotic; Moon Express Developing Lunar Lander Test Facilities At Florida KSC; Astrobotic Technology Lunar Mission One Partnering On Campaign ‘Footsteps On The Moon’ To Place First Digital Archive Of Human Life On Moon

Credit: GLXP, Astrobotic, Moon Express, Lunar Mission One

Tuesday / 29 September 2015

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Audi, GLXP PTS Partnership Expands Lunar Rover Technology & Construction

9292015Continued Developments Underway For Part-Time Scientists (PTS) GLXP Team Including Payload Potential, 3D Printer, Emerging Communications Link By PTS Karsten Becker To Control Audi Lunar Quattro On Lunar Surface; Audi Will Be Supporting Lunar Rover Lightweight Construction Development, Electric Mobility Development, Testing & Quality Assurance; Sturdy Lightweight Design To Be Made Of High-Strength Aluminum & Magnesium To Withstand Radiation On The Moon

Credit: GLXP, Audi, Part-Time Scientist

Thursday / 3 September 2015

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GLXP Challenge To Get To Moon More Difficult Than Expected

9032015Lunar Lion Withdraws From Competition; Multiple GLXP Teams Successful With Rover Mobility & Visual Testing Yet Securing Launch Contracts (LC) Proving Difficult; Lack Of Updates / LC / Departure Of Tim Pickens & Andy Aldrin From Moon Express Signal Possible Withdrawal; Astrobotic & HAKUTO Collaborating In Rideshare Partnership Via SpaceX Falcon 9 For Late 2016; One Team Must Secure LC Within ~4 Months To Extend GLXP

Credit: GLXP, Astrobotic Technology, HAKUTO

Wednesday / 19 August 2015

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GLXP Astrobotic Lands Commercial Clients For Lunar Missions

LED 081915Astrobotic Cites “Numerous Opportunities For Marketing On The Moon” When Contracted  To Deliver Japan Sports Drink Pocari Sweat Near Burg Crater Late 2016 For Undisclosed Sum; Future Rehydration With Lunar Water And Thirst-Quenching Enjoyment By Lunar Astronaut Expected; Time Capsule Container, Designed By Singapore’s Astroscale, Includes Messages And Music;  San Francisco Startup Elysium Space To Deliver Lunar Burial Services Via Astrobotic Griffin Lander; Founder Thomas Civeit Calls It An “Exceptional Tribute” 

Credit: Global Post, Astrobotic

Wednesday / 12 August 2015

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Aiming For The Moon With Aloha:
President Obama On GLXP Astrobotic;
Moon RIDERS Continues Project Testing

Hawaii GLXP

Hawai`i-Born Barack Obama Speaks About Astrobotic Moon Goals, Americans Being Those Who “Explore Next Frontiers… Pioneers With A Vision For Tomorrow, Whether It’s Lewis & Clark, Sally Ride… They’re The Driving Force In A 21st Century Economy”; Hawaii Moon RIDERS (Research Investigating Dust Expulsion Removal Systems) Partnering Hawaii Schools, PISCES, NASA KSC & Undisclosed GLXP Team, Testing Electrodynamic Dust Shield Experiment At Hawaii Island Moon Analog Site Mauna Kea In Preparation For Late 2016 Launch

Credit: GLXP, PISCES, Moon RIDERS, NASA, Gig Greenwood, `Iolani, Robin Bourne, Astrobotic

Friday / 31 July 2015

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Moon Express & Astrobotic Testing Landers / Developing Flight Software

ME & Astrobotic 2015 Jul

Moon Express (ME) Continuing Flight Testing Of MTV-1A Lunar Lander (Successor Of MTV-1X) At Kennedy Space Center ‘Moonscape’ Test Range, Final Version Will Land On Moon & Hop 500 Meters, ME GNC Software Was Also Tested On NASA Mighty Eagle Lander; Through Lunar CATALYST Agreement, Astrobotic Developing Lunar Guidance Systems / Flight Trajectory Plan Using NASA Core Flight Software & LRO Data To Land In Lacus Mortis Region At 44.96°N 25.62°E, Explore Lunar Cave

Credit: ME, Astrobotic, NASA, GLXP

Friday / 24 July 2015

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16 GLXP Teams Have <6 Months To Confirm Launch, Extend Competition

GLXP July 2015

 One Firm Launch Provider Contract, Designating Launch Window / Date, Required By 31 Dec 2015 To Continue US$20M Moon Challenge; Rideshare Contract Between Astrobotic & Hakuto Confirmed For TBD SpaceX Launch Mid-2016, Team Indus Looking Toward ISRO For Subsidized Launch, Synergy Moon Counting On Interorbital Neptune Rocket, SpaceMETA Has MoU With Alcantor Cyclone Space, Barcelona Moon Working With China Great Wall Industry, Penn State Lunar Lion Launch Reservation Fee Given To Spaceflight Inc / Sherpa Craft

Credit: GLXP, SpaceX, GLXP Teams

Tuesday / 14 July 2015

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Astrobotic Progressing
Notwithstanding SpaceX Setback

7142015Cooperation With NASA For Lunar CATALYST Program Providing Confidence In Astrobotic Technology Inc Ability For Precise Future Lunar Landings; Astrobotic Software Tested With NASA Core Flight Software, Modeling & Simulation Technology; GLXP Contender Moon Launch On SpaceX Falcon 9 May Experience Delays, Astrobotic Awaiting Further Details From The Investigation; NASA Administrator Charles Bolden Reiterates Spaceflight Challenges & Success Of Previous Six SpaceX Launches

Credit:  NASA, Astrobotic, SpaceX

Wednesday / 8 July 2015

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GLXP Updates: Launch Advancements, Lunar Rover Demo, Capsule Of Earth Art

7082015_2Team Synergy Moon Announces Developments With Launch Infrastructure, Vehicle & Lander; Team Puli Lunar Rover On Display For Participants To Operate In Budapest, Hungary At Exosphere Copernicus Series 13-31 July; Team Astrobotic Lunar Rover To Send Up “Moon Arts Ark” With Weight < 6oz Holding Earth Art / Led By Carnegie Mellon University’s Art Professor & Renowned Space Artist, Lowry Burgess (Top)

Credit: GLXP, Synergy Moon, Astrobotic, PresUniversity, Exosphere, Puli Space