Astrobotic To Take Mexican Payload To the Moon 51
MarkWhittington writes: One of the great results of the commercial space revolution, which promises to lower the cost of space travel, is the opportunities it opens for countries and private entities to operate in space who would not otherwise be able to do so. The latest example of this phenomenon is the agreement by Astrobotic, one of the competitors in the Google Lunar X Prize, to take a yet to be determined payload provided by the Agencia Espacial Mexicana, according to a story in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The arrangement will help Mexico become the first Latin American country to land and operate a payload on the lunar surface.
Please please... (Score:2)
... please tell me that payload will include a Jeb doll [shapeways.com]
Re: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:3)
Probably another whale. It was bad enough that the first one they sent to the moon got all those stupid whalers killed.
Farewell, Willzyx! (Score:5, Funny)
We hardly knew you! [wikipedia.org]
Tacos? (Score:2)
Now we will be able to get Mexican food on the moon
Someone tell Squad (Score:2)
Unfortunately ... (Score:2)
due to a design error in the solar charging module, the payload shut down at high noon each month for several days, however this means the device was able to keep operating well into the lunar night.
Re: (Score:2)
I can see the landing sequence now (Score:3, Funny)
The payload module approaches the lunar surface, retros blazing. Slowly, carefully...contact light! Descent engine cutoff!
Immediately, dozens of astronauts pile out of the capsule and scatter wildly in every direction.
Re: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
Don't drink the tap water in LA. I'm serious....
Then again anything south of the Mason-Dixon line isn't really First World.
Re: (Score:2)
They don't have clean drinking water but they have a space program? I think their brains are refried.
Yeah, because everyone in the US has access to clean water. I could take you down a trip in the South if you want some examples. #rollseyes.
Not everything is Mexico is backwards, just as not everything in the US is of a 1st world quality. Talking about talking shit just for the sake of it.
Re: (Score:2)
"Undetermined Payload" (Score:1)
Sounds like Mexico just wants to throw money away for appearances' sake.
I mean, if it was a scientific package from a Mexican university, or a Mexican military satellite, or something, I'd understand. I don't understand why they'd want to just send something to the moon just to have sent something to the moon. The US did it to outdo the Russians, but at least we got a decent amount of research and development out of it.
Obligatory Mexican comment: Someone should paint "muff diver" on the side of it.
Re: (Score:2)
I mean, if it was a scientific package from a Mexican university ...
It is a scientific package from a Mexican university.
Re: (Score:2)
They look for ancient Aztec ruins on the moon.
Re: (Score:2)
That's right. What most people don't realize is that the moon is the remnants of a space craft that ran out of fuel. It been collecting dust ever since. The Aztecs and you might say Adam and eve are direct results of the instance. They came down looking for a fuel source but didn't have the tools to make use of any resources they found. Due to diverse scattering, They grew apart in identities and their civilized ways somewhat devolved into distinct cultures once resources from the mother ship ran out and
Re: (Score:2)
Given that America has largely dropped out of the space race except for unmanned stuff and what the private sector is doing ... I'm glad to see someone is still trying to put stuff on the moon.
Because so far that's a pretty small and exclusive club.
Re: (Score:2)
Exactly who are they racing? Putting men or satellites in orbit has become quite pedestrian. Private companies offering launch services are only possible because of the money spent and the R&D generated by 50+ years worth of government sponsored missions and supporting technologies. That is the way things should work. And until the government actually comes up with a realistic destination the unmanned probes flying around the solar system gathering information will have to suffice. Spending shit loads
Re: (Score:2)
Countries are still interested [wikipedia.org] in the moon.
I agree, I'd love to see manned missions, and would be ecstatic about a moon base. Mexico putting a "yet to be determined" package on the moon isn't quite the same thing.
Huh? (Score:3)
Let's wait and see if Astrobotic ever even makes it to LEO before counting those chickens.
Re: (Score:2)
Getting the payload to LEO will be done by someone like SpaceX, not Astrobotics. Presumably Mexico is paying the bill, so they can probably afford a Falcon 9, or at least a secondary payload slot.
Re: (Score:2)
Astrobotics is building and operating the payload, duh.
Re: (Score:2)
Yes, obviously. I guess I don't get your original point about LEO. Asrobotics doesn't DO transport to LEO, so why even mention it? It's irrelevant to whether or not they can get a payload delivered from TLI to lunar surface.
Sigh. (Score:2)
I'm waiting for the first Coca-Cola Ad transported to the moon and visible from earth.
Re: (Score:2)
Shades of "The Man Who Sold the Moon"!
who hasn't taken a mexican payload or 2.... (Score:1)
Was Wylzyx (Score:2)
not considered a payload then ?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F... [wikipedia.org]
This should pretty much make (Score:2)
Free Willzyx! (Score:1)
I knew it as soon i read the title. (Score:1)