…is finally moving forward, apparently no longer constrained by cash flow.
[Update a few minutes later]
This is pretty cool — robots that could build facilities on the moon.
[Another update a few minutes more later]
Speaking of lunar bases and cash flow, they sure buried the lede in this story about Shackleton Energy Company:
The company has set a goal of US$1.2 million and at the time of publication of this article had raised $3,665 with some 40 days remaining.
So, only $1,196,335 to go.
I’ve seen similar automated home-building gadgets before. Putting one one the moon would be a major undertaking. Building with cement (the usual material for these things) would require a lot of materials in situ that may not be conveniently available. This is the sort of thing that really requires a mature industrial infrastructure already in place.
I expect Bigelow TransHabs to constitute the nucleus of any permanent lunar settlement. Once you have enough of those, and enough people living in them, then you can start building the robotic construction workers.
Well, barring an Orion (the original) launch system to carry everything up there in one go:-).
The name of the company is XCOR Aerospace.. not “Xcor”.
Since the writer is in London, it’s likely a British newspaper style thing. After all, they spell NASA as Nasa, even though it’s an acronym.
1. How does the rebar get into the concrete of the load-bearing walls? I’m not sure how local code enforcement would react to a unreinforced concrete wall.
Given this recent statement by the CTO for Virgin Galactic, I expect XCOR will probably beat them in starting actual tourist flights…
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/zoe-p-strassfield/steve-isakowitz-virgin-galactic_b_1102569.html
“Space Is Wide Open”: Talking With Virgin Galactic CTO Steve Isakowitz
Posted: 11/21/11 03:26 PM ET
[[[My function is sort of two-fold. One is sort of, as the Chief Technology Officer, to ensure that this basic vehicle that’s going to go through testing over the next couple of years, is going to be ready to fly for commercial operations. And to do so at an affordable cost, reliably and safely. ]]]
Congrats to XCOR for meeting their funding gate; not a small accomplishment in this era. Glad to see they are able to move forward on the Lynx now. I’m excited.
I would remind you that this “news” about XCOR is not news to those who have a subscription to “The Lurio Report”, as per Vol. 6, No. 14, September 15, 2011 and Vol. 6, No. 15, October 17, 2011.
The Lynx looks like one fun ride. If I were a very rich man, I’d love to own one.