Eric Berger has gotten a copy of the plan.
It only looks ambitious in comparison to previous plans, not to serious plans. At best, it’s Apollo on steroids. And as he notes, there is no budget, either stated or actual.
Category Archives: Space
The Space Settlement Forum
Steve Wolfe has been working on putting this together, in conjunction with the ISDC in a couple weeks. I’ll be doing a presentation there on space property rights for settlers.
Wayne Hale
A few months ago, I asked him to be on my advisory board for my new company. He thanked me for the offer, but told me he had to decline because there was a potential conflict of interest. But today he announced that he is going to be heading up a much more important advisory council. I think it’s a great choice.
Moon Dust
The Great Migration Into Space
Thoughts on Musk and Bezos from Peter Diamandis.
More thoughts, on science fiction versus science fact, from The Economist‘s Oliver Morton.
Building Starships
SpaceX is having an internal competition.
Accelerating The U.S. Space Program
How to get Back To The Moon By 2024
Make it a one-way trip.
So, how much does that change requirements? It means no need for ascent on the lander, or entry from TEI. It’s probably a Falcon Heavy mission. We eliminate the initial need for a suit, too. Hardest part would be how to resupply without EVA capability.
Could NASA do it? Probably not, politically, but a private expedition could.
Bezos’s O’Neillian Vision
There’s an article at Popular Mechanics, but the picture it has of Gerard O’Neill isn’t. Not positive, but I’m pretty sure it’s Brian O’Leary.
Blue Moon
Bezos is supposed to make a major announcement today in DC (half an hour from now), but apparently it won’t be live streamed, and only a few select reporters have been invited. Reportedly, Mark Sirangelo, the new guy at NASA in charge of moon return, is present. Meanwhile, Emilee Speck follows the breadcrumbs.
[Update a few minutes later, but before the event]
Here’s a story from Ken Chang, at the NYT (though I would note that the OST does not explicitly forbid lunar property ownership).
[Update after the news conference]
OK, while many hadn’t heard it before, he started with his standard O’Neillian recitation of why he’s doing all this. The news (as expected) was the unveiling of a mock up of the Blue Moon lander, which he says can put 6.5 tons on the moon by 2024. He also announced a new LOX/LH engine for it, designated BE-7, capable of deep throttling. Tim Fernholz has the story.