Google Lunar X PRIZE Roundup #43 March 28, 2011
Posted by Nick Azer in : Germany, Google Lunar X Prize, Google Lunar X Prize Roundup, Google Lunar X PRIZE Team Profile , add a commentThe Google Lunar X PRIZE is a $30 million competition challenging private space enterprises to land a rover on the Moon. Every two weeks, I round up the latest developments as the teams rocket forwards and upwards…
The first half of March brought a bevy of significant updates all around the GLXP—both quantity and quality! The full rundown for March1st-March15th:
- Team Astrobotic released their payloads user’s guide! The team also posted an in-depth look at lander structure , posted video of their 500m field test, were featured in an official GLXP video, and held an interactive Q+A on Reddit!
- Legendary Apollo veteran Mike Vucelich became an advisor to team Synergy Moon! The team also posted a blog on their wireless tech :)
- Team ARCA posted a bunch of new videos (#s 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20) in their series on the road to supersonic! They also announced a name change for the supersonic carrier :)
- Team Part Time Scientists sat down with Evadot for a podcast on building CPUs! The team also blogged about their CeBIT tech trade fair visit, and posted their eighth in-depth Fan Friday Q+A!
- Team White Label Space completed the body on their rover prototype! They also posted an update on their team members based in Sendai, Japan—all safe!; posted a new promotional video; and posted a talk from Luke Weston, of their Aussie partner Lunar Numbat :)
- Team Phoenicia posted several (parts three, four) new blogs in their series on how they are funding their GLXP entry!
- Team SELENE featured their development and testing of a 4WD, rocker-bogie-suspension rover concept!
- The new mystery team, Mystical Moon, posted an introduction!
- Team Plan B blogged about trajectory calculation issues!
- The Huntsville Center for Technology—a partner of team Rocket City Space Pioneers–is participating in the Great Moonbuggy Race! The RCSPs also blogged about progress on their lunar rover!
- The Penn State Lunar Lion team blogged a reflection on the second quarter Moon, and about their progress under a new moon!
- Team Puli blogged about their journey into the media spotlight! They also blogged about their education efforts :)
A handy note: The official GLXP team pages now have a video bar at the bottom with each team’s Youtube and other updates! Quick-click grand centrals for GLXP vloggage :)
New Google Lunar X PRIZE Team–c-base Open Moon! October 2, 2009
Posted by Nick Azer in : c-base open moon, Germany, Google Lunar X Prize, private sector , add a comment
Hot on the heels of Team Selenokhod, a new German team has entered the Google Lunar X PRIZE— c-base Open Moon!
With that badass render of the “c-rove” at the ready, the team has settled on a standard approach after initially having a “rockoon” (rocket-balloon) concept.
Their entry comes not long after news regarding the German government possibly joining the space fray.
Check out c-base Open Moon‘s site for more details (and their nifty array of social media).
Germany Joining The Lunar Fray? August 12, 2009
Posted by Nick Azer in : European Space Agency, Germany , add a comment
An article from ABC News notes that German Economy Ministry State Secretary Peter Hintze stated today that Germany could and should launch an unmanned lunar mission by 2015 (apparently seperate from any ESA efforts, while also pushing for international cooperation).
Hintze’s stated motives are vague, but the benefit is obvious: any early stake in the helium-3 mining game could prove extremely valuable, much as any lasting stake in early European America proved to be. If you don’t get in early, you might not get in at all…so as the stock of fusion power’s potential increases, expect to see more nations looking to throw their hats into the ring.