New Details on SYNERGY MOON and Their Lunar-Direct Google Lunar X PRIZE Effort March 25, 2009
Posted by Nick Azer in : Google Lunar X Prize, Lunar-direct , add a comment
The newest Google Lunar X PRIZE team, SYNERGY MOON, has provided some additional details and clarification (through an interview with Space Fellowship and a subsequent comment on a post here at Luna C/I covering the announcement) on their private lunar effort, and specifically, the neat method they are utilizing in the process.
The team plans a somewhat unusual (and old-school) lunar-direct method, using an adaptation of Interorbital Systems‘ Neptune rocket (other versions of the rocket pictured above). I’m actually currently reading an excellent book–The Lunar Exploration Scrapbook by Robert Godwin–that goes into great detail (with images galore) of many of the early lunar-direct systems, so it’s really cool to see the concept making a comeback.
Thanks to Randa Milliron, CEO of Interorbital Systems, for that comment and clarification :) I originally had some confusion on whether they meant literally lunar-direct, in the classic sense.
Below is a rendered video of the final stage of the rocket: the actual lander.
Keep an eye on SYNERGY MOON’s Youtube channel (and those of the other teams) for an increasing stream of cool videos on the X PRIZE’s teams’ progress :)
New Google Lunar X PRIZE Team Announced: SYNERGY MOON Becomes #17 March 2, 2009
Posted by Nick Azer in : Google Lunar X Prize, Lunar-direct, private sector , 2comments
A new team for the pivotal Google Lunar X PRIZE has been announced!
SYNERGY MOON, an international effort, is now the 17th official team vying for the $30 million in prizes (including the $20 million Grand Prize).
The team is a collaboration of three companies: InterPlanetary Ventures, Interorbital Systems(IOS), and the Human Synergy Project.
(Edit: Language on the team page initially made it sound like they were attempting a lunar-direct mission, and I originally had a section here about that until I then noticed mention of a “lunar lander”–which would be incongruent with lunar-direct in the classic sense as the rocket would be the lander.)
(Edit 2, 3/23: As Interorbital CEO Randa Milliron has clarified today in a comment on this post, the method is in fact the outright lunar-direct method, differing from Apollo. Which is really cool :D See the full comment).
For more details on SYNERGY MOON, check out their official Google Lunar X PRIZE team page, as well as their own official website.