GLXP Confirms Moon Express, Rocket Lab 2017 Launch Contract; Possible ‘Test Flight’ In 2015
Two 2017 Launches Scheduled For Moon Express (ME) Aboard The Electron Small Launch Vehicle (Still Under Development) By Rocket Lab; GLXP Senior Director Chanda Gonzalez Announced “We Are Extremely Proud To Officially Confirm Receipt And Verification Of Moon Express’ Launch Contract”; Rocket Lab Readying New Zealand Launch Complex After Which Test Flight Of Electron Vehicle Will Occur (Originally Planned For Dec 2015); ME CEO Bob Richards States “We Are Thrilled To Have Our Contract In Place With Rocket Lab” ME Chairman Naveen Jain Adds “Moon Express Is Building Disruptive Technologies…Like 3D Printing And Inexpensive Sensors To Collapse The Capital Needed To Access The Moon”
Pictured: Moon Express Inc Founders: Naveen Jain, Co-founder & Chairman, Bob Richards, Co-founder & CEO, Barney Pell, Co-founder & Vice Chairman
Credit: Moon Express, XPrize Foundation
In Year 7, LRO Continues To Provide Information Useful For Decades Of Future Human Exploration; LRO Deputy PI Benjamin Greenhagen Comments “We Honor The Moon As A Global Scientific Legacy”; Data Reveals 
Commercial & Sustainable Activity On Moon Surface Could Be Advanced By Lunar Power Utility (LPU) Construction According To Authors V. Beldavs, D. Dunlap, J. Crisafulli & B. Foing Of 
Letter To President Obama By Vid Beldavs, Founding Member Of International Lunar Decade Working Group, Requests U.S. Support For International Lunar Decade (ILD) Advocacy & UN-Sanction Activity / To Address Moon Mining & Property Rights / To Involve G20 Countries In International Collaboration; Operations In Space To Establish Permanent Infrastructure Vital For Long-Term Economic Growth Which Will Promote Commercial Business; Partnerships Will Reduce Cost To Each Organization, Key To Permanent & Sustainable Development
Paul Spudis (TR) Of LPI Supports Refining Lunar Water Into Rocket Fuel To Assist Deep Space Exploration; Spudis Raises Concerns On Projected Cost & Quasi-Commercial Lunar Authority Proposing NASA Base To Protect American Interest; Charles Miller (TL) NexGen President & Study’s Principal Investigator Outlines Feasibility Of Returning To Moon By Leveraging Commercial Partnerships; Paper Opens Discussions & Considerations With Upcoming Presidential Elections
Preparations For Crewed Moon Missions / Lunar Base In Near Term (~5-7 Years) Possible With Innovative Cost Reducing Strategies Using Partnership Methods & Competing Commercial Service Providers; Benefits Of Lunar Structures / Commercial Mining To Export Propellant To Lunar Orbit As Economic Development For Extended Space Travel & Deep Space Exploration
NASA First Scientist-Astronaut Schmitt Has Busy Week At International Space University (ISU) Hosted By Ohio University; Recognized For His Apollo 17 Mission & Being The Second To Last Human To Step On The Moon His Work Continues On Lunar Exploration & Future Space Policy Issues; Advocate For Human Space Exploration & Author Of “Return To The Moon” Schmitt Describes Private Enterprise Approach & Business Proposition For Lunar Helium-3 Mining