Independence–X Aerospace from Malaysia is lead by Mohd Izmir Yamin (Aerospace Engineering), who has extensive experience in rocket propulsion and robotic control systems. Independence–X Aerospace has a strong fleet of strategic advisors that have served in various engineering and business fields as professional engineers, technologists and academicians. This team has technical and non-technical departments which will effectively distribute tasks based on members' expertise. Our primary advantage in joining this competition is our strategic geographical location, which helps to reduce launch costs, and the utilization of abundant direct solar reception. New team members will be recruited through online advertising. Our strategy is to keep things simple and less complicated but still able to achieve the PRIZE objectives. This will help to reduce potential errors and flaws in our system. Avoiding bureaucratic situations will help to speed up the design, fabrication, and test processes.

We have developed an academic and technical partnership with Malaysian university Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM). In addition, the Malaysian Entrepreneurs Development Center (MEDEC) will be the primary support on business advice regarding this project. These strategic partnerships will help to expand our mission to business, technology, academia, and beyond.

Our Objectives

• Transform Malaysia into a developed space country by the year 2020.
• Fully utilizing the advancement of space technology to improve life through enhancing businesses and industries.
• Create technology spin-offs to serve local industries in having locally available technologies that can produce newer and better product for the nation’s economic growth

Team Members

Team leader
Mohd Izmir Yamin
TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT Director

Team leader Mohd Izmir Yamin is pursuing a Bachelor (Hons) of Engineering (Mechanical) and Diploma in Aerospace Engineering. He also has a background in Aerospace Engineering, mainly in propulsion and robotics. He has numerous achievements in designing, fabricating and launching experimental research in both liquid and solid propellant rockets. His work on rockets have paved the way for environmentally friendly and low-cost systems to launch a rocket to higher altitudes, which successfully launched the nation’s first ever self-designed and locally made experimental sounding rocket into the Malaysian airspace. He has also designed and built a pulse jet engine on experimental basis. His interest is not only in rockets and jet engines, but also in robotics, communications, and vision systems. He has participated in and won numerous national robotics competitions. He has demonstrated skill in several different publicized aerospace projects and competitions and won local and international awards (Christian – Dupont Belgian Minister of Science and Innovation award of the year 2006 in Brussels, Belgium. 1 Gold and Silver medal in Eureka, Belgium International Invention and Innovation award 2006, 1 Gold Medal in Invention-Innovation and Design, Shah Alam 2006, 2 Bronze Medals in International Technology Exhibition, Kuala Lumpur 2006 and Malaysian Technology Exhibition, Kuala Lumpur 2006.) Most recently he led a group project to design a conceptual multistage launcher to put a satellite in orbit around the planet Mars, as part of a special topics course under the Mechanics and Thermodynamics of Propulsion. He is also working on an individual research project to develop the compression system on what will be Asia’s first Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) powered, remotely piloted aircraft and proposed long endurance Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) system for surveillance, low altitude remote sensing, and communications. He has also proven himself as a leader; technical skills, and enthusiasm will be a strong asset in advancing this project.

Technical Asst. Director
Mohd Hadi Anuar Fakharuzi
Integration and Control System Manager / Lunar Rover Division Head

Mohd Hadi Anuar Fakharuzi is a training engineer who has worked for mechanical and electrical consulting firms as a design engineer. He has experience in designing mechanical systems for building services, especially on tank design, piping design, sewer design, and water management. He completed qualifications in manufacturing engineering in 2004 and has experience in supervising manufacturing processes at Panasonic Air Conditioning Company. His interest in aerospace engineering led him to upgrade his studies in mechanical engineering to thermofluid and propulsion studies. Currently he is running several projects, such as cooling systems design of PEM fuel cells for Unmanned Ariel Vehicles (UAV), amphibious vehicles for land and water usage, and now in the Google Lunar X PRIZE. He has expertise in computer aided design (CAD), computer aided analysis (CAA) and also computer aided manufacturing (CAM). He hopes to use all his skills to lead his Google Lunar X PRIZE team to its full potential.