SpaceX offers NASA $80 million lunar cargo lander service
Flight International
“Space Exploration Technologies has proposed to NASA a robotic cargo lunar lander service that would be priced at $80 million per mission.
“SpaceX proposed the lander at a meeting with the US space agency because it is a member of Odyssey Space Research’s team for NASA’s Altair project office lander evaluation study that began in March. The SpaceX lander would deliver 1,000kg (2,200lb) to the Moon’s surface in support of NASA’s Altair missions. The unmanned Altair cargo version could deliver 14,000kg to the Moon.”
Similar Posts:
- Getting NewSpace Involved in the Lunar Effort
- NASA Wants to Add $300 Million to Budget to Speed Up COTS
- Boeing Submits Proposal for Altair Lunar Lander Design to NASA
- NASA Preps to Award Constellation Design Contracts
- Update on NASA’s Altair Lunar Lander
Heh, not so fast… before that, they must prove themselves in next flights with Falcon 1 and 9. But yeah, if they succeed, sky is the limit… literally.
SpaceX should follow a similar cargo/manned pattern which they are with their Dragon capsule. Design the lunar lander from the beginning to also be able to transport crew. Go with something like this early Langly proposal. But first transport teleoperated robots, ISRU & construction equipment, and cargo. After the small lander has proven itself to be able to reliably, safely, and automatically land material of equal mass as a human, and after all habitat and supplies are in place, then it would be easier to entrust the lander to deliver humans to the lunar habitat. No need for an Ares V and Altair. The goals of Constellation could be reached for a fraction of the cost.
This is good news if it is for real. What we need now is the launcher that can actually accomplish this. I look forward to seeing that design.