Tue, Jan 06, 2004
And Yet The Moon Still Maintains Its Allure...
SpaceDev has completed
the first phase of a privately funded study to design a low cost
robotic return to the Moon. The study was performed for Lunar
Enterprise of California (LEC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Space
Age Publishing Company), and follows an earlier SpaceDev Lunar
orbiter mission and spacecraft design project funded by Boeing.
The current study analyzes mission and spacecraft options for a
Lunar Dish Observatory to be placed near the south pole of the
Moon.
"With Europe on the way to the Moon, Japan lunar missions set
for 2004 and 2005, and India as well as China preparing to send a
series of robotic missions to the Moon culminating in a manned
lander mission, and with renewed interest by our own government in
returning to the Moon, SpaceDev seems to be in the right place at
the right time," said SpaceDev founding chairman and chief
executive Jim Benson.
"SpaceDev and others
have been advocating the importance of a stronger U.S. private
sector presence in and beyond Earth orbit for years. Recent public
statements from high levels of government indicate more focus on
such private sector contracts and a return to the Moon."
The SpaceDev study found that the south pole of the Moon is an
ideal location for a variety of activities including a dish-type
observatory. Certain areas near the pole experience extended
periods of sunlight for solar power and warmth, and are in direct
line of sight to communicate with the Earth. The study also found
that insufficient data exists to choose a precise landing spot and
describes the need for better navigation capabilities at and around
the Moon. SpaceDev expects to begin working on the next phase of
the study early next year.
The Lunar mission being designed by SpaceDev for LEC would save
money and reduce risk by using hardware and software technology
already developed by SpaceDev. In addition to incorporating its
miniature high performance CHIPSat flight computer and
Internet-based mission operation and control software, the study is
examining the use of SpaceDev's clean, safe hybrid rocket motor
technology developed with government contracts and for the historic
SpaceShipOne project.
SpaceDev estimates that its Lunar Dish Observatory lander
mission can be conducted for significantly less than the cost of
previous missions such as the successful $100 million NASA Lunar
Prospector, and the $150 million DoD Clementine orbiter (in today's
dollars).
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