The third prototype for Astrobotic Technology’s lunar robot has innovations that will enable it to survive the blistering heat at the Moon’s equator, which is the robot’s destination in May 2011 when it will visit the Apollo 11 site. Noon at the equator is hotter than boiling water: 270 degrees F. The robot beats the heat by keeping a cool side aimed away from the Sun to radiate heat off to the black sky. It travels toward or away from the sun (generally east or west) without turning its radiator into the light. Only the solar cells on the hot side ever face the sun. The robot can travel north and south by tacking like a sailboat. The Apollo 11 crew landed shortly after local dawn and left by mid-morning, so Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin never encountered the noontime extreme.... [Read more]

Stereo views from the Apollo expeditions drew the attention of these Carnegie Mellon students at a recent showcase event The Astrobotic robot heading to Apollo 11 will capture the “magnificent desolation” described by Buzz Aldrin in both high definition and 3D – the first planetary robot to accomplish either feat. Twin HD cameras will give armchair explorers back on Earth the opportunity to see the Moon with the clarity and depth perception enjoyed by the 12 astronauts who walked its strange surface. Click on images for large versions The image above is the Earth captured during the Apollo 11 flight combined with a computer-generated image of the Astrobotic robot and spacecraft.  The images below show the third prototype design of the robot and the “stack” of rocket... [Read more]

Astrobotic will execute robotic lunar missions to collect exclusive data needed by space agencies and aerospace firms planning Moon expeditions. Accurate lunar surface data are key to cutting costs, accelerating schedules and enhancing safety. Planners need a wide variety of information collected on the surface to enhance and confirm the less-detailed orbital observations of today’s lunar satellites. Astrobotic intends to collect these data sets starting in 2011 through a series of robotic missions to those areas on the Moon of high interest. Astrobotic’s missions will be self-financed, so customers pay for data only after it has been successfully collected. This contrasts with the current system of governments funding entire missions and bearing all risks of mission or sensor failure.... [Read more]

Announcement of the Google Lunar X-Prize catalyzed the formation of Astrobotic Technology. The founders decided to pursue the Google challenge as the kick-off mission in a series of expeditions to robotically pioneer the lunar frontier. The Google race can be won at any time, by the first team to reach the Moon and complete a substantial list of tasks. The winner gets $20 million if the mission takes place before December 31, 2012; at this point, the first prize drops to $15 million through December 2014 and then terminates. The second place team gets $5 million and another $5 million is available for bonus achievements, such as traveling long distances or surviving the night. The core requirements to win are transmitting approximately 18 minutes of high-definition video from the lunar... [Read more]