…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.
“Breathtaking speed” isn’t how I’d describe the pace of the Chinese space program.
…and how to fix it.
I’ve got a better idea. Establish a base on Phobos or Deimos, manufacture propellants, and then land propulsively.
Does anyone know if they ran my letter to the editor last week?
This is unintentionally hilarious:
Kerrick also spoke about the current status of the NASA Space Shuttle Program and its official retirement on Aug. 31. The media has caused a lot of worry and uncertainty about the future of NASA’s role in galactic travel, she said.
“Don’t believe the news,” she said. “Through this whole process, I learned not to trust the news.”
Although it is true that the program is gone, Kerrick said, NASA will be around until at least 2020. She also said Orbital, a private company based in Virginia, and SpaceX, a company based in California, are the primary sources of funding to continue the development of shuttles capable of going beyond low-Earth orbit.
It’s unclear whether she really said this stuff, or if the reporter just garbled whatever she actually did say, but there are at least four problems with that last paragraph.
[Via Jeff Foust]
I just got this from Shafer Corporation:
Schafer Corporation Signs Licensing Agreement with MoonDust Technologies LLC
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 21, 2011
Schafer Corporation Licenses Space Commercialization Technology to MoonDust Technologies, LLC
Albuquerque, NM – The Schafer Corporation, a scientific and engineering company, has signed a Licensing and Development Agreement with MoonDust Technologies, LLC (MDT) of Tucson, AZ to give them exclusive, worldwide production and marketing rights for a unique line of products resulting from the use of Schafer’s Proprietary microgravity production technology. Although well known for their defense-related space capabilities, Schafer has been developing and evaluating technologies for commercial space applications since 2008.
The Agreement grants MDT the exclusive right to produce and sell these products worldwide and provides Schafer with royalties on the sales. As part of the agreement, Schafer will provide MDT with technical and engineering support focused on the design and development of space hardware. “We’re excited about this opportunity,” said Schafer Corporation President Tony Frederickson. “For over 40 years, visions of space-based commercial ventures have been driven by the advantages of microgravity fabrication for a range of high-value products. We’re pleased that Schafer technology will play a part as this dream at last nears reality.”
“We were blown away,” said MoonDust Technologies CEO Rick Gibson. “When we saw what they had developed it was a no brainer; form the company and let’s do this. The impact will be stunning – we’re looking at a broad range of transformational products involving medical, information, and DOD applications.”
MoonDust Technologies, LLC was created as an affiliate of the Medusa Group of companies in Tucson, AZ. Dan Hodges, CEO and President of Medusa said “Notably, Schafer’s micro-gravity technology allows us to solve some extremely difficult technical issues and create solutions and products that are desperately needed, but simply couldn’t be solved with earth-bound processes before. This approach is the only way to go.” MDT expects to have sample products available for industry review next summer, 2012.
About Schafer Corporation
Schafer Corporation, formed in 1972, is a leading-edge technology company providing high quality products and professional services to government and industry customers. Schafer’s legacy is rooted in space, optical, and directed energy programs. Today, our knowledge and experience supports all branches of the military, the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security and NASA. In addition to our legacy competencies, we support these customers over a broad set of disciplines including system engineering, technology management, missile defense, commercial space, net-centric systems and communications, nano-fabrication, modeling and simulation and agile software development.
For more information, please visit: www.schafercorp.com
Contact: Rhonda Peyton P: 505-338-2856
About MoonDust Technologies, LLC
MoonDust Technologies, LLC (MDT) was created in 2011 by Rick Gibson with its headquarters located in Tucson, AZ. MDT is an OEM product company that specializes in the production of unique materials that can only be manufactured in microgravity environments. MDT owns exclusive rights to Proprietary technology that has been developed by leading edge defense and advanced aerospace companies.
For more information, please visit: www.MoonDustLLC.com
rpeyton@schaferalb.com
MoonDust Media Relations: Rick Gibson
p: 520-661-6797About Medusa
Medusa comprises a group of five affiliated companies specializing in electromagnetic, ultrasound and aeronautical research, development and operations. With broad operational expertise, MRO and laboratory facilities, the Company has unique large corporation capabilities with the attention to detail and customer needs which emanate from a small company atmosphere.
For more information, please visit: www.medusa.com
Medusa Media Relations: Darrin Holman p: 520-512-5299
Via Rich Glover at Shafer, who says that “…if successful, this is a game changer.”
An interesting excerpt from a new book on Henry Morton Stanley. There are some lessons in here that will be valuable to space colonists.
I agree with Stephen Hawking that it is important to expand humanity into the universe, but…:
Stephen Hawking says the colonization of outer space is key to the survival of humankind, predicting it will be difficult for the world’s inhabitants “to avoid disaster in the next hundred years.”
The renowned astrophysicist explores some of the most remarkable advancements in technology and health with the new U.K.-Canadian series “Brave New World With Stephen Hawking,” debuting Saturday on Discovery World HD.
Before its premiere, he discussed the earth’s most pressing concerns in an email interview with The Canadian Press from Cambridge, England, declaring space exploration to be humankind’s most urgent mission.
“We are entering an increasingly dangerous period of our history,” said Hawking, who has Lou Gehrig’s disease, leaving him almost completely paralyzed and unable to speak.
Please stop using the E-word as though it’s synonymous with space settlement. It is not. It is a means to an end, and as long as the focus stays on “exploration,” it is easy for opponents of sending humans into space to say, “it’s cheaper with robots.” Unless you believe that robots will be our mind children (as some do), humanity is not going to settle space with robots. Every time you are about to say the phrase “space exploration,” stop yourself, and replace it with “space settlement.”
As an aside, for those who followed the link to Wikipedia, Jimmie Wales is not Hans Moravec. He’s not a douche, either. Or maybe he is. That one’s a matter of opinion, I guess. Anyway, as The Oatmeal points out, you get some pretty hilarious Wikipedia pages when Wales is doing a fundraiser. He should move his face over to the right side of the page, or something.
[Update a couple minutes later]
NASA is unsure how long commercial crew will be delayed:
NASA officials say the reduced funding for the commercial partnership to replace the space shuttle will delay the program two years and maybe longer.
So, at $450M per year to the Russians, the geniuses on the Hill have just increased out-year expenditures by almost a billion dollars to save half a billion next year. This is why the budget is a mess.
Jon Goff has a good blog post on it, if you want to geek out.