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comment by user-inactivated
user-inactivated  ·  2250 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Lunar X prize ends with a whimper

Only thing really capable until the Falcon Heavy are the Delta IV family and the Atlas V with solid's attached and that was not going to happen at $30 million payout. Falcon 9 MAY be able to get a small orbiter to lunar orbit considering the size of some of the GEO missions and TESS, but landing? Shocked it went this far, honestly. If the Heavy really does cost the estimated $90M a launch, and they can get the thing to not shake apart at liftoff, then I can see 4-5 of these groups pooling together to do a landing and rover.

There is a reason only three organizations have landed on the moon; all three were national governments with deep pockets.





kleinbl00  ·  2250 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I guess an F9 will do it.

Granted, SpaceX wants $61m to give you a try so no, $30m wasn't exactly an adequate prize.

user-inactivated  ·  2249 days ago  ·  link  ·  

512kg to lunar orbit is not that much. LRO was 1900kg at launch.

kleinbl00  ·  2249 days ago  ·  link  ·  

It's like six whole sputniks yo

user-inactivated  ·  2249 days ago  ·  link  ·