Astrobotic Technology has signed a contract with NASA to help conclude whether or not its own polar rover vehicle is fit to transport ice-prospecting payload to the Moon.
That sounds more than a little vague. It doesn’t sound like NASA is buying a prospector.
It sounded to me as if Astrobotic wanted NASA to stress-test its rover to see if NASA thought it could handle lunar conditions.
It’s an SBIR to figure out how to add a NASA drill and instruments to their lander.
What would be need is if SpaceX offered NASA their Red Dragon to drill for ice on the Moon instead of Mars. Pity Elon is so focused on Mars.
Tom, haven’t you told us repeatedly that you’re opposed to SpaceX taking money from NASA?
Do you see any inconsisency in your statements?
Edward,
I am against COTS/CCDev/CCCP because it will likely produce vehicles that are designed for government work, not commercial markets. And the most recent delays caused by NASA software testing requirements for docking to ISS are a case in point. I suspect the software will be of little value for commercial astronauts docking Dragon to a Bigelow habitat.
But since SpaceX is determined to be a government contractor the Moon makes a much more suitable target for testing Red Dragon then Mars. And they won’t have to years for a launch window.
Also, I doubt that NASA could purchase a Red Dragon under an SBIR. Elon’s manufacturing isn’t *that* cheap.
I thought you knew that Elon was proposing it as a Discovery class mission 🙂
Only in your imagination would Elon pass on a profitable use that also paid for some of his testing.
You are, of course, correct. But this only underscores my contention that much of the bold claim for “private” space research come down, in the end, to tax farming. Astrobotic is doing this on my nickel.
You mean private companies want to charge the government when they carry government payloads? Shocking.
When NASA employees fly on American Airlines, they fly on your nickel. I suppose that underscores some contention about how commercial aviation is tax farming.
They keep landing all sorts of deals. I am really looking forward to an actual LUNAR landing though.
At the rate things are going, Chang’e series will probably be in their third generation by the time anyone else gets there.
From the linked page:
Astrobotic Technology has signed a contract with NASA to help conclude whether or not its own polar rover vehicle is fit to transport ice-prospecting payload to the Moon.
That sounds more than a little vague. It doesn’t sound like NASA is buying a prospector.
It sounded to me as if Astrobotic wanted NASA to stress-test its rover to see if NASA thought it could handle lunar conditions.
It’s an SBIR to figure out how to add a NASA drill and instruments to their lander.
Thanks. That makes more sense than my conjecture.
An actual lander?
I thought Apollo 18 put an end to all that 😉
Another mole to wack.
What would be need is if SpaceX offered NASA their Red Dragon to drill for ice on the Moon instead of Mars. Pity Elon is so focused on Mars.
Tom, haven’t you told us repeatedly that you’re opposed to SpaceX taking money from NASA?
Do you see any inconsisency in your statements?
Edward,
I am against COTS/CCDev/CCCP because it will likely produce vehicles that are designed for government work, not commercial markets. And the most recent delays caused by NASA software testing requirements for docking to ISS are a case in point. I suspect the software will be of little value for commercial astronauts docking Dragon to a Bigelow habitat.
But since SpaceX is determined to be a government contractor the Moon makes a much more suitable target for testing Red Dragon then Mars. And they won’t have to years for a launch window.
Also, I doubt that NASA could purchase a Red Dragon under an SBIR. Elon’s manufacturing isn’t *that* cheap.
I thought you knew that Elon was proposing it as a Discovery class mission 🙂
Only in your imagination would Elon pass on a profitable use that also paid for some of his testing.
You are, of course, correct. But this only underscores my contention that much of the bold claim for “private” space research come down, in the end, to tax farming. Astrobotic is doing this on my nickel.
You mean private companies want to charge the government when they carry government payloads? Shocking.
When NASA employees fly on American Airlines, they fly on your nickel. I suppose that underscores some contention about how commercial aviation is tax farming.
They keep landing all sorts of deals. I am really looking forward to an actual LUNAR landing though.
At the rate things are going, Chang’e series will probably be in their third generation by the time anyone else gets there.