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The American Google Lunar X PRIZE Teams February 23, 2010

Posted by Nick Azer in : Google Lunar X Prize , 1 comment so far

With NASA shifting to focus on supporting American private space, it’s a good time to break out the old red-white-and-blue with a look at the Google Lunar X PRIZE teams based or rooted primarily in the U.S. (and therefore companies that could get a push from the U.S. government in the near future, indirectly or not).

In order of announced, and focusing on relatively active teams (some ‘official’ teams haven’t updated in over a year; I’ll list those at the end, and if there’s any signs of life I’ll update the post):

Highly Active Teams

Astrobotic

Based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in conjunction with Carnegie Mellon University there, Astrobotic Technology, Inc. has ambitious plans beyond just the X PRIZE. Their “Tranquility Trek” mission is just the first in a series of as many as 6+ missions (detailed in a 2008 lunar data white paper [PDF] as including ‘scouts’, an ice surveyor, and a moon dozer) over the first half or so of this decade.

Astrobotic has also already been selected by NASA for two lunar contracts—one for excavation techniques, and one for simulation of lunar gravity.

Next Giant Leap

Next Giant Leap is an effort hailing from Deadwood, South Dakota, that boasts an impressive slate of team member organizations: The Sierra Nevada Corp.—recent recipients of $20 million in NASA CCDev stimulus funds for commercial crew transportation development; MIT; the Draper Laboratory in Cambridge, MA; the Aurora Flight Services Corp.; and Jolt Media.

Since their founding in 2007 and official reveal (previously the ‘mystery team’) a year later, Next Giant Leap has leapt to the forefront of the GLXP competition.

JURBAN

The Juxtopia Urban Robotic Brilliant Application Network (JURBAN) effort is a part of not-for-profit science and tech organization Juxtopia, focusing on working with disadvantaged youths to build robotics.

While they haven’t had an official blog post since 2008, their Twitter remains active, so check that out for updates on their progress :) They list Chrysler and Raytheon as official sponsors, though there is comparatively less clear information available on the specifics.

Omega Envoy

A student-formed and -run team,  Floridians Omega Envoy have racked up some notable progress and partners of their own. They tested a prototype of their rover, SAGAN (which is on Twitter), last year at the Mars Society‘s Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station, and their partners include the 4Frontiers Corp. and Embry Riddle Aeronautical University.

FREDNET

FREDNET, while being technically international, is an Open Source effort with its roots in the US. (Its founder, Fred J. Bourgeois, III, had his hometown of Waveland, Mississippi wiped out by Hurricane Katrina). Dedicated to transparency and interactivity (with their own forums, live video stream, wiki, and more), FREDNET’s had both public as and powerhouse participation—the latter including the likes of David Masten of Masten Space Systems, among others.

As FREDNET themselves put it, once you join their wiki, you officially join the team. Hit their forums and wiki for more on how their interesting (and cool) structure works.

Micro-Space

Coloradoans Micro-Space have been in the industry a long time: 31 years! While further details are currently sparse (their official site is definitely on the old-fashioned side), their team page remains active with plenty of blog posts.

White Label Space

While largely international, White Label Space‘s unique style—starting as a brandless team, open for sponsors and their messages across the board–and partial American roots give them enough American flavor to make it on here :) It should be exciting to see what kind of sponsors White Label Space can attract to their name, especially with the newfound emphasis of American space on all things commercial and private.

Other, Largely Inactive/Non-public Teams : Chandah, Stellar (No updates since March 2009). Drop me a line if you have updates, and I’ll update the post above with the new info :)

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Google Lunar X PRIZE Roundup #10 February 12, 2010

Posted by Nick Azer in : Uncategorized , add a comment
The pace continues after last week’s action-packed roundup, with plenty of Google Lunar X PRIZE goodies  to go around this week—great videos galore!:

A Look at NASA's New CCDev (Commercial Crew Development) Funding Awards February 11, 2010

Posted by Nick Azer in : Bigelow Aerospace, Blue Origin, Boeing, Commercial Crew Development [CCDev], Sierra Nevada Corp. and SpaceDev, Uncategorized, United Launch Alliance , 2comments

In the wake of all the hububb over NASA’s new direction, an important step in that direction landed a little quietly—the awarding of $50 million in stimulus funds to five commercial firms.

“The president has asked NASA to partner with the aerospace industry in a fundamentally new way, making commercially provided services the primary mode of astronaut transportation to the International Space Station. We are pleased to be able to quickly move forward to advance this exciting plan for NASA.” -NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, NASA Press Release

The press release calls this a ‘first step’ in the new direction for NASA. Technically speaking, though, this actually builds off of a step taken just days into the Obama administration—the big Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) contracts given to SpaceX and Orbital for the resupply of the ISS (previously done by the Space Shuttle).

So now, in addition to SpaceX and Orbital, NASA has doled out funds to additional companies for develop solutions for crew transportation to low-earth orbit (and thereby, help ‘catalyze‘ the private space industry—and by association. the economy). Here’s a look at the five winners, and the projects they’re working on (in order of totals awarded):

Sierra Nevada Corporation (SpaceDev)

The Sierra Nevada Corporation, which acquired private space company SpaceDev in 2008, was awarded $20 million of the $50 million total. While the NASA release doesn’t specify projects, this appears to be towards the development of SpaceDev’s lifting-body spaceplane called the Dream Chaser (pictured above).

The Dream Chaser is based off the the old NASA HL-20 concept, designed as an affordable backup plan to the Shuttle. Here’s a quick Youtube video (with some hip music :D ) that gives an idea:

Boeing

A longtime stalwart of space efforts, Boeing received $18 million towards the development of an unspecified crew module concept. Alongside Boeing with this CCDev project is Bigelow Aerospace, an established leader in the development of commercial crewed space stations:

“We’re excited about this program and the Boeing partnership in general. Boeing brings with it unparalleled experience and expertise in human spaceflight systems, which will be combined with Bigelow Aerospace’s entrepreneurial spirit and cost-conscious practices.” -Robert T. Bigelow, president and founder of Bigelow Aerospace, Boeing press release

The United Launch Alliance

Already operators of the oft-used Atlas V and Delta IV rockets, this partnership between Boeing and Lockheed was awarded $6.7 million to develop an Emergency Detection System to help make the Atlas and Delta rockets become human-rated launch vehicles.

Blue Origin

Blue Origin, the slightly mysterious private space firm started by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, received $3.7 million, apparently (as Jeff Foust of the NewSpace Journal and Space Politics tweeted) for the development of a “concept for bi-conic crew vehicle that could be launched on Atlas 5“, the Atlas V of course being the United Space Alliance’s vehicle.

Blue Origin’s known craft under development is the New Shepard, a vertical take-off and landing craft inspired by the old NASA DC-X concept. With a very 1950′s sci-fi style, it simply launches straight up (to orbit) and reenters the same way, all the way down to landing on struts. A video of their Goddard prototype’s 2006 test flight gives an idea:

Paragon Space Development Corporation

And last, but not least, Paragon, a company that develops life support and thermal control systems, was awarded $1.7 million towards a “revitalization system for use in crewed spacecraft“. Here’s a neat NASA video about Paragon, their background, and the work they do:

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With these major selections—and NASA’s new direction being pointed directly at them—these companies will become, alongside other partners like SpaceX and Orbital, leaders in American space going forward. Expect to be hearing about those featured technologies a lot, particularly as the competition heats up for a preferred method :) It’s quite a wide variety of designs, too, so it should be fun to see the pros and cons of each play out.

Google Lunar X PRIZE Roundup #9 February 6, 2010

Posted by Nick Azer in : Commercial Crew Development [CCDev], Google Lunar X Prize, Google Lunar X Prize Roundup, NASA , 2comments

With the cancellation of NASA’s Constellation program this week—and subsequent shift to a focus on private space—the Google Lunar X PRIZE has taken on greatly added significance, especially to Americans, as private space essentially is becoming our program. What role America plays in the integration and colonization of the Moon, will now be driven by what our private companies and citizens can accomplish.

Keep an eye here this coming week for a special look at the American Google Lunar X PRIZE efforts, and what they’re up to as they (along with companies like SpaceX) take on the mantle :)

But, without further ado, here’s your two-week edition of the GLXP Roundup!:

The X PRIZE Foundation held their third Google Lunar X PRIZE team summit! A recap:

All the other news and bits from across the spectrum:

Phew! Tons of big stuff for that one, and virtually all of it was in only one of the two weeks. Pace should only continue with NASA’s new mandate :) Keep an eye out this week for my posts on the American GLXP efforts and on those big CCDev contracts!

Reactions to Cancellation of Constellation February 3, 2010

Posted by Nick Azer in : NASA, Obama, private sector, Sen. Bill Nelson, Senate , add a comment

The Obama administration’s cancellation of the Constellation program (and its plan to return to the Moon) has understandably sparked quite a, ah, constellation of reactions and commentary. Here’s a quick look at the spectrum:

First and foremost, and most telling, is what current NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said about the decision:

“The truth is that we were not on a path to get back to the moon’s surface.” -Charles Bolden

That suggests there were far deeper issues at hand than just Ares and various delays, and that Constellation’s future had developed into a black hole. That complicates the efforts of many in Congress (usually from constituencies with many NASA jobs) to fire ‘salvos‘ back and keep the program:

“We’re going to have to get the president to do more for NASA. America’s global leadership in science and technology is at stake if we don’t maintain a more robust space exploration program.” -Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL)

“The cancellation of Orion is especially troubling and goes against the recommendations of the Augustine Commission.  The State of Florida has made significant investments to prepare KSC facilities for Orion, and the Space Coast anticipated, invested in, and planned for the commitment to be fulfilled in order to help preserve jobs.” -Rep. Suzanne Kosmas (D-FL)

While Congress is clearly not thrilled (unless you’ve got a private spaceport developing in your backyard), private space is happy to take on the mantle:

“President Obama has given NASA a bold and exciting new mission: to once again push the limits in technology and exploration, promote innovation, and foster a vibrant commercial spaceflight sector…This initiative is on par with the government Airmail Act that spurred the growth of early aviation and led to today’s passenger airline industry, which generates billions of dollars annually for the American economy.” -Bretton Alexander, President of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation

All of this, Bolden’s quote in particular, is, I think, neatly bookended by the expression today from a certain lunar authority:

“Thank you, Mr. President.” -Buzz Aldrin

It's Official: Constellation Cancelled, No NASA Return to Moon; Shift Towards Private Space February 1, 2010

Posted by Nick Azer in : Constellation, NASA, Norm Augustine, Obama, SpaceX, U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee, Vision for Space Exploration , 7comments

With the release of its 2011 budget proposal, the Obama administration has concurrently announced, in no uncertain terms, that the current NASA Constellation program is cancelled.

“The President’s Budget cancels Constellation and replaces it with a bold new approach that invests in the building blocks of a more capable approach to space exploration…” -Official White House website, 2011 Budget fact Sheet

The fact sheet goes on to explain the new direction focusing on private space, including some significant funds:

“Entire new industries”, “catalyzing new businesses” and jobs…As hinted at in his campaign space plan (and by his initial Commerce Secretary appointment of NM Gov. Bill Richardson), Obama clearly believes in the economic potential of an industry-focused NASA. Note that the ISS contract mentioned there is already awarded—SpaceX just needs to prove its Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule are human-ready for the option to vest, and both Orbital and SpaceX are already the new ISS cargo suppliers.

What does this mean for moon colonization? It means that NASA itself won’t be landing anyone on the moon.

There is a lot of ‘doom and gloom’ out there about how there won’t be humans on the Moon anytime soon, which is a false assertion—the Chinese program is full-steam-ahead, and if private space can be trusted with the ISS contracts at this early stage, then they’re on a course to be putting men on the Moon before long; perhaps even before NASA would have landed men anyways.

Americans will be on the Moon again soon; they’ll just have to hitch a ride with a company or an international effort to get there. And the U.S. will remain a major lunar player, with many private companies and Google Lunar X PRIZE efforts being American.

The fact sheet doesn’t say anything about new human exploration options, such as the ‘Flexible Path‘ suggested by the Augustine panel, so word remains to be seen regarding that, and whether NASA will shift to a manned asteroid mission or mission to Mars’ moons.