Author Topic: GLXP Moon Express Successfully Test Lander (Read 4069 times)

Diagoras · « **on:** 07/01/2011 07:14 am »

http://www.moonexpress.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=9:moon-express-announces-first-successful-flight-test-of-lunar-lander-system-developed-with-nasa-partnership

Impressive. Makes me more confident someone will nab the GLXP before it expires.

Jason1701 · « **Reply #1 on:** 07/01/2011 12:27 pm »

The GLXP expires when a government lands on the moon, right? When is there a government mission set to land?

NotGncDude · « **Reply #2 on:** 07/01/2011 08:05 pm »

W00t!

Robotbeat · « **Reply #3 on:** 07/01/2011 08:13 pm »

Anyone have video of the test?

simonbp · « **Reply #4 on:** 07/01/2011 10:23 pm »

Quote from: Jason1701 on 07/01/2011 12:27 pm

The GLXP expires when a government lands on the moon, right? When is there a government mission set to land?

The government part of it is a $15m bonus; they will still award $20m million if a government beats them to it.

And the next lander may well be Chinese, though the Japanese, Indians, and Europeans all have ongoing programs...

NotGncDude · « **Reply #5 on:** 07/21/2011 07:42 am »

Alan Stern joins Moon Express as Chief Scientist. The guy has like 17 jobs so it's probably not full time. But still...

http://www.moonexpress.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=10:moon-express-announces-dr-alan-stern-as-chief-scientist&Itemid=162

Moe Grills · « **Reply #6 on:** 07/21/2011 07:29 pm »

Quote from: Diagoras on 07/01/2011 07:14 am

http://www.moonexpress.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=9:moon-express-announces-first-successful-flight-test-of-lunar-lander-system-developed-with-nasa-partnership

Impressive. Makes me more confident someone will nab the GLXP before it expires.

Good of them to succeed so far.
Have they lined up a ride to the Moon for that machine?
Pehaps a Falcon 9?

Even if they end up missing the moon by a few thousand Km, or crashing
their machine onto Lunar dust, they will have achieved something no other private group will have done; raising the bar for the next group.