Team LunaTrex Blog RSS Feed

Bi-Weekly Telecons

LunaTrex — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 19:18:38 -0700

LunaTrex has been conducting all-team meetings via telecon every other week since the beginning.

We find that this is good since we are distrubuted out over 4 states and 3 time zones, but we are working on improving this system of all-team communication.

Has anyone else had experience with this kind of model for keeping in touch? What has worked or not worked for you?

Clear skies,
Pete

Electric Propulsion

LunaTrex — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 19:07:42 -0700

Just a quick reminder to the community that LunaTrex was the first GLXP Team to adopt electric propulsion as our way to get the craft to the Moon. In fact, our concept art was based on that item, not a rover.

This approach is being vindicated every day. We have heard other teams talking about using it as well, since it reduces weight and therefore, cost.

And we still think we can do this mission for far less than the PRIZE money.

Electric Propulsion

LunaTrex — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 19:07:40 -0700

This approach is being vindicated every day. We have heard other teams talking about using it as well, since it reduces weight and therefore, cost.

And we still think we can do this mission for far less than the PRIZE money.

LunaTrex actively pursuing funds

LunaTrex — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 13:17:18 -0700

LunaTrex is actively seeking funding sources, including sponsorships and direct investments.

We are working on setting up ground facilities for the long-term business model, allowing us to offer mission-control services to the space/satellite industry. Additionally, work on the VertiPod aircraft family continues, with sales to commence later this year, which will also generate some cash-flow to LunaTrex.

Funding is the bugaboo. We have worked for months on reducing risk, weight, and cost with our approach, so that the total price of the mission is affordable and achievable.

As a rough estimate, it costs about $1 million per pound, with about a $10 million minimum floor, to put anything safely on the Moon, and that's using our low-cost, electric propulsion methodology.

Thus, a 10 lb. rover might cost about $10, maybe 12-13 million to land on the Moon. That's doing everything on the cheap, with an acceptible margin for risk built in. A say, 150 lb. rover, will cost about $150 million to land safely on the Moon. Add about 25% to that if you're not using electric propulsion.

The risk is a tough nut to crack, but it's doable. However, in order to raise actual capital beyond sponsorship, one must have an active business model that is profitable outside of the GLXP mission to hang their hat on.

Thus, LunaTrex is working in parallel to both create the infrastructure for the GLXP mission while it develops long-term capabilities that can operate profitably.

We'll keep you posted on progress.

Stay Tuned!

Work Breakdown Study (WBS) completed to level 3

LunaTrex — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 08:58:43 -0700

Team LunaTrex has recently completed its Work Breakdown Study (WBS) for the entire mission, breaking down the tasks to "bite-sized chunks" from launch to the Moon.

Thanks to Mary Cafasso, our Technical Team Leader, for spearheading this effort.

With this WBS completed, we are starting trade studies on the various elements. We are even more confident now that we can indeed do this mission and win the X PRIZE for far less than the PRIZE money. The approach at this point reduces the launch payload weight significantly, allowing us to launch as a small, secondary payload.

We are still targeting launch in 2011, with the possibility of going late 2010.

Additionally, our discussions continue with potential investors, sponsors, and suppliers to provide resources and also expense mitigation as we pursue the PRIZE.

We have been told recently by a major aerospace company that they have analyzed all the teams' approaches and they believe that Team LunaTrex has the most likely-to-succeed and "pencil" approach they saw, and are donating some time to help us. We are not at liberty to share whom as yet, but when appropriate, this will be publicized. This activity is encouraging and leads us to believe that our approach is technologically sound, as well as is our approach to resourcing the mission.

We look forward to continuing up the path to the Lunar Surface.

Favorite Team Poll?

LunaTrex — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 10:46:11 -0700

First of all, we wanted to thank the more than 700 people that voted for Team LunaTrex in the past week, propelling Team LunaTrex to own over 2/3 of the total number of votes cast. Thanks also to Sharon Weinberger and Wired for their online article on our behalf.

What happened to the poll? If it is over, why are the results not remaining on the front page?

Curious...

Space Florida $2 mil bonus prize

LunaTrex — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 12:15:37 -0700

It occurred to me to ask whether or not the Space Florida prize bonus applies to a mission launched as a secondary payload from Florida.

This would be significant if they did allow it. We are currently making trade studies on launch options, since that will drive much of the financial resource portion of the mission.

If anyone has any insight into that, it would be helpful, I believe, for all the teams to know.

All the Best,
Pete

Discovering Water/Ice on the Lunar Surface

LunaTrex — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 20:57:53 -0700

Team LunaTrex is contemplating ways to discover ice on the lunar surface - if, in fact, it exists.

Should a rover do the job?

Should a high-speed penetrator do the job?

Where should we look on the Moon?

What is the bonus prize worth?

Do we care about the bonus prize - what is the real value of finding water ice on the lunar surface?

We would love to hear your comments... Post away!

Popular Mechanics - South Africa edition

LunaTrex — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 18:39:23 -0700

Apparently, the South Africa edition of Popular Mechanics had some diverse content from that of the US edition.

The editor is sending me a copy of their magazine, and we'll post the differences in this blog.

Stay tuned!

Secondary/Tertiary Payloads

LunaTrex — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 19:15:49 -0700

Though not ideal, LunaTrex is considering saving a lot of money by going to space as a secondary or even tertiary payload.

Since we were the first team to propose the "slow flight" to the Moon using electric propulsion (some other teams have realized the sanity of that approach and are considering emulating us), we can take our time from a variety of orbits a primary payload may put us into.

This will save our team millions of dollars in launch and mission costs.

We are still very committed to doing this mission for less than the prize money. I realize this is not a common thought at the X PRIZE Foundation, or at some of the other teams, but we are still firm believers that it can and should be done that way.

I would also propose a bonus PRIZE for any team that does the mission for less than the PRIZE money. It would seem to prove the point more emphatically that space is not just for the rich or for governments to access, but for all who have the will and the moxy to reach for it.

I dunno - call me maverick...

;)