LunaTrex was formed in 2008 as a team comprising several individuals, companies, and universities from all over the country who bring the needed skills, talents, vision, and experience together to pursue the noble goals set out by the Google Lunar X PRIZE.
Each company brings its own history to the mix, including rocket science, high-altitude near-space R&D, defense directed-energy technology, aviation design and development, robotics, trajectories, and nonconventional propulsion expertise. Blended with a successful entrepreneurship track record, we believe the hundreds of years of experience possessed by the team will improve our chances for success in this pursuit.
We have put together a Team that has experience in pursuing and succeeding with completing pioneering goals and space missions.
The Team members of LunaTrex all are passionate about space and making space accessible to all. The Tumbleweed rover, if successful, will help create the experience of being on another world, accessible to everyone on this planet. We hope this will inspire greater interest in space exploration, greater pursuit of math and science education, and a renewed commitment of both government and business leaders to invest in advancing our civilization and helping to solve Earth's problems through space technology.
The Team also realizes that moments of aerospace history come only occasionally, and that the GLXP is an opportunity of a lifetime to be a part of that history.
What do you think gives your team an advantage over your competitors?
Our team is fully capable and has the resources, creativity, expertise, experience, and relationships in the industry to make this effort a success.
We are approaching this entrepreneurially – almost “bootstrapping” the effort, with the objective to make the attempt for less than the amount of the prize money. This is not only to make a profit, but mostly to prove the point that space can be accessible, even to small business. We will be pursuing not only the GLXP, but the repeatability of such space missions for the future.
We are under no illusion that winning the Google Lunar X PRIZE will be easy, but we believe it is possible and worthy of pursuit. We may be the wildcard, underdog, long-shot, dark horse – whatever you will – of the competition, but we are committed to success, and have a sober vision for what it will take to achieve. We are a team of “doers”, unfettered by corporate politics or bureaucracy.
Describe in general terms your technical plans for winning the prize
LunaTrex will pursue a complete system in our attempt at the Google Lunar X PRIZE, from launch to rover. In fact, we are equally interested in building a business model around a micro-satellite launch service as we are in pursuing the GLXP. Ultimately, having our own launch service will provide us with a hedge in the risks associated with the Google Lunar X PRIZE pursuit.
The Google Lunar X PRIZE payload will contain a transit vehicle, using a small, ion propulsion system, to slowly push the lander/rover package to the Moon, possibly taking several months, as the orbit gradually increases. Our method is one that is lower risk, carrying more stable fuel, with a more gradual, controllable approach, thus mitigating risk. There are no rules that require us to get there in 2-3 days, so we will take our time.
At a mid-point in the transit, the ion engine will slow the craft, and in order to make a “soft” landing, a rocket will assist a horizontal landing on the Moon. Small rockets will ignite to slow the craft down to the degree needed. We are researching to see if it may be possible to minimize using rockets for the landing.
One Rover concept uses an icosahedron shape with telescoping legs (also serving as transceiver antennae) to move in any direction and terrain on the Moon. Twelve legs will extend and retract to propel the craft along the lunar surface, no matter where it lands. This propulsion technique also keeps highly abrasive Moon-dust from getting onto the craft’s core, which will contain cameras and possibly other detection equipment.
Another rover concept is an "inch-worm" concept, using flexing, piezo-electric "muscles" to move along the lunar surface.
We are also keeping the options open on some wheeled rover concepts. The drivers for our rover selection are to make sure it can navigate any terrain it finds itself in.
We may also sponsor a sort of "mini-X-Prize" to award robotics teams to help us build a proof-of-concept rover which will ultimately be made suitable for the lunar surface.
With any design, the rover will be powered by solar panels on the core, recharging lithium batteries within. It will have multiple high-def cameras, and will broadcast to antenna arrays on Earth that receive, coordinate, and process the video imagery. Video will simultaneously be shot in multiple directions, so that a 360° view can be composited for use on Earth in an immersive, 3-D, interactive experience. We believe this approach is unique and not only mitigates risk, guarantees progress on the lunar surface, and creates backups, but if all goes well, will offer a better viewing potential than any other approach, usable in various types of venues and offering excellent sponsorship potential.
Because we have a low-cost transit technique that we can control, we will likely launch as many as 2-4 rovers to the Moon, increasing our chances of winning the prize, but also helping us claim the additional prizes and gaining a significant presence on the lunar surface.
How, where, and when will your craft land on the Moon?
Our ion thruster will slow the craft down to make a reasonably soft, rocket-assisted landing on the Moon, with a minimum of retro-rocket involvement. The initial intent is to land on as flat a terrain as possible first.
We may target one of “seas”, which will allow for a better success at a horizontal landing, as well as better chance of avoiding crater shadows to increase solar power potential. However, a final landing site is still pending.
The design of the rover will allow for possibly some kind of foam padding for landing, which can come off easily. This will allow for potentially a harder landing, simplifying the landing system as a whole.
How will you communicate with and download information from your craft while it is on the Moon?
In this vein, we may very well use X PRIZE Preferred Communications Partners. The key issue will be multiple locations around the world to receive data transmitted and then we will have a central data processing area which can re-composite the image from the raw data transmitted.
In order to ensure that our plans to win the Google Lunar X PRIZE will also constitute a viable business for the future, it is necessary that all aspects of this space mission be accomplished—at least to some degree—by a partner within the team. While access to the Allen Telescope Array is highly desired, it will only be able to contact a craft on the Moon for a fraction of each day, severely constraining landing and operations times on the Moon. A worldwide network of ground stations capable of receiving HD video and other telemetry is being established by the team through a range of strategic partnership with telecoms and other operators of large communications satellites. The ground stations of these space mission operators are more than capable of receiving high-definition signals, and their personnel already have extensive experience in the processing and dissemination of these signals. With radio dishes in Brazil, Indonesia, Australia, and elsewhere, our team will have constant access to our vehicle after launch, in transit to the Moon, and on the Lunar surface.
Our team is committed to reducing the cost of missions to space and to fostering a spirit of international collaboration in private space ventures. Both of these aims may be accomplished by advancing a distributed scheme for mission operations throughout the course of the Google Lunar X PRIZE project. While a primary mission control center will be maintained in Indiana (and construction of a dedicated ground station there is also under consideration), the “day-to-day” operations may be passed from partner to partner as the spacecraft or the Moon becomes visible to different parts of the globe. Carefully-crafted procedures will ensure a coherent strategy in achieving all mission objectives for the Google Lunar X PRIZE, and passing on these responsibilities to partners will reduce the need for a large and expensive centralized operations center.
Bringing talented partners together from around the world may significantly raise the international profile of the Google Lunar X PRIZE. Many of our potential operations partners actively participate in the space programs and space education programs of their home countries. Our plan will ensure that the Google Lunar X PRIZE will touch individuals in every corner of the globe, sparking a new generation of space enthusiasts who will watch webcams from the Moon as nonchalantly as we watch international broadcasts today.
How will your vehicle will move on the Moon?
We are still trying to decide whether or not to have a separate lander, or simply to have the rover be the lander, possibly shedding a “skin” of foam which may help absorb the shock of landing.
As an example, the Icosahedric Rover will have 12 legs sticking out in every direction, which also will serve as the transceiver’s antennae. The rover’s core will be a sphere, with at least 4 cameras embedded in its body.
The legs will retract and extend, in sequence, to create motion in any direction. It will not be fast, but will likely be capable of covering a maximum of approximately 200-240 meters per hour.
Solar panels embedded on the surface of the spherical core will provide recharge power to the on-board, lithium-polymer or lithium titanate batteries. We intend to have plenty of power stored on board for the mission. If it takes a long time to recharge, again, we’re not in a hurry. With super-efficient cells and Li batteries, it will be fairly efficient to re-charge.
We intend to reserve battery power for at least 3 hours of operation immediately usable after landing, so that the 500 meter objective can be achieved.
Which bonus prizes are you interested in?
All of them, including second place (via a second rover), if possible or allowable...
What additional scientific equipment above and beyond competition requirements, if any, might you be launching and why?
We are intending to set up a small-sat launch system and program regardless of Google Lunar X PRIZE, but the Google Lunar X PRIZE effort will certainly bring credibility to that effort. Regarding additional equipment, we will likely include some form of sensor to detect frozen water on the lunar surface.
Roster
Pete Bitar is the LunaTrex team leader. Mr. Bitar has founded and successfully developed several entrepreneurial ventures during his business career, and is an inventor of several technologies including aviation and directed energy systems. His other current venture, Xtreme Alternative Defense Systems (XADS), is a multi-million dollar defense contractor, specializing in non-lethal, directed energy solutions, as well as in Counter-IED systems for the DoD. He is also the President/CEO of AirBuoyant, LLC, an aerospace and aviation design firm. Mr. Bitar developed the VertiPod, a one-person, inexpensive and safe flying platform for personal use.
Mr. Bitar is also a consultant in the Aerospace and Defense sector for the Gerson-Lehrman Group.
He holds his degree in Business from Portland State University and is also a licensed pilot.
Mary Cafasso’s 25 years of experience include comprehensive technical expertise in, space system design and development, spacecraft design, mission planning and operations. Her technical expertise includes mission analysis, orbital mechanics, constellation design and management, launch vehicle trajectory design, spacecraft flight dynamics, spacecraft operations and control theory. Ms. Cafasso’s knowledge and experience spans all phases of space system design and development and satellite lifecycle management for missions in commercial, government and military applications.
Ms. Cafasso’s leadership in over 30 space missions includes six spacecraft designs, seven launch vehicles, five propulsion system designs, as well as five attitude and control methodologies. She has designed, performed the planning & analysis and led the operation teams for several pioneering missions. She authored recommended operating procedures, operating instructions, orbital operations manuals, mission procedures and launch vehicle compatibility, interface and detailed trajectory objective documents. She participated in dozens of operations leading teams in pioneering space rendezvous and recovery missions.
Ms. Cafasso worked for Western Union as the Manager of the Orbital Dynamics department and was responsible for the orbital maintenance of the Westar fleet of spacecraft. Ms. Cafasso joined Hughes Aircraft Company in 1985 where she progressed and held three positions simultaneously as the Manager of the Orbital Operations Department, Laboratory Scientist and Assistant Director of the Mission Operations Laboratory. In 1993, Ms. Cafasso joined Motorola as the Director of Operations Engineering and Analysis on the Iridium Program. While at Motorola, Ms. Cafasso was also the Chief Scientist/Technologist reporting directly to the Senior Vice President and CTO. Ms. Cafasso continued this leadership role as the Chief Scientist/Technologist for General Dynamics in 2001.
Ms. Cafasso is the President of MC Squared, Inc. providing consultation expertise to the aerospace, insurance and legal communities. Ms. Cafasso is an internationally acknowledged expert in space systems operations and control.
Joseph Gangestad is founder and President of Orbit Frontiers LLC and has expertise in trajectory design and in coordinating mission operations and communications. Mr. Gangestad has degrees in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Purdue University, with a specialization in astrodynamics, and in Astrophysics from Williams College. He has been published in a variety of prestigious scholarly journals related to his research (in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology) on the bodies of the outer Solar System, in particular having measured the physical parameters of Charon, Pluto's largest Moon, to the highest precision ever. His work in astrodynamics has ranged over a variety of topics, including applications of general relativity to trajectory design, mission design to the outer Solar System, and trajectory design for innovative propellantless-thrust technologies. Mr. Gangestad's research in these areas is ongoing, in addition to his responsibilities as President of Orbit Frontiers and part of the GLXP team.
Gregory H. Allison, High Altitude Research Corporation (HARC) Chairman of the Board, is an experienced electrical and systems engineer offering a broad range of leadership and technical qualifications. He has served as a Test Program Set Engineer for PEI Electronics Incorporated (1997) where he designed Test Program Sets for Line Replaceable Units such as the Turrent Remote Switching Module and the Analog Input Module on the M1A2 Abrams tank. There Mr. Allison developed methodology to isolate faults within subsystems, specified Automatic Test Equipment resources, and developed Test Program Set software in the ATLAS language. Mr. Allison also developed Test Program Sets for the F-15 Electronic Equipment Control Display while at Northrup Grumman (1995-1997). Prior to this, he has served as Electrical Lead Engineer of Industrial Control Systems for Bowden Industries (1994-1995).
Mr. Allison served as a Systems Engineer and Chaired three meetings of the Space Station Robotics Working Group for Grumman Corporation (1990-1993). He also served as the NASA MSFC representative for technical oversight of Canadian robotic elements and enabled the robotic system contractor to proceed towards Critical Design Review. Mr. Allison also served as Engineering Coordinator for Configuration Subteam in a program-wide review in Reston, Virginia.
Outside of work, Mr. Allison has provided tremendous leadership for the grassroots space movement. He is one of the founders of the Huntsville Alabama L5 Society (HAL5), a chapter of the National Space Society (NSS), HAL5 has become the leading chapter of the NSS.
Bill Brown (V.P Engineering, High Altitude Research Corp, Huntsville, AL) is a senior electrical engineer with 25 years of experience in the field. His specialty is with sensors, command/control links, embedded microcontroller design as well as RF telemetry and video links. Bill has designed and flown hundreds of NearSpace balloon systems for over 20 years and is considered a pioneer in the design of lightweight NearSpace payloads. Related projects include the Earthwinds project, Project HALO rockoon, Balloon-Launched Return Vehicle (Dryden SBIR), JPL Mars balloon testing, CATS prize rocket balloon as well as a participant in the Ansari X-Prize. In addition, he has years of experience with Army unmanned ground vehicle design, simulators and interfaces for the MLRS and Patriot missile systems as well as test platforms for avionics. He is the inventor and designer of the first BalloonSat system in the U.S and has mentored countless schools, universities and commercial stratospheric balloon programs.
He holds a Masters degree in Electrical Engineering as well as a Masters degree in Biochemistry, both from U.C. Santa Barbara. In addition, he holds a B.S. in Chemistry from Ohio State University.
