Moon Express becomes first company to get approval for private moon shot

[Valin]

Hot Air:

John Sexton

August 3, 2016

 

Today the FAA and NASA granted the first approval for a moon shot to a private company. Moon Express is competing for Google’s LunarX prize which offers a reward of up to $25 million to the first company that can put a lander on the surface, move the lander 500 yards from the landing spot (in any direction) and send HD video from the surface back to earth. In order to win, the company must complete all three goals by the end of 2017. From CNN Money:

 

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[clearvision]

So one needs approval to fly to the moon? Or they need money from the gov?

[Valin]

1. So one needs approval to fly to the moon?

 

2. Or they need money from the gov?

 

1.Yes FAA (for better or worse) controls all aviation in the US.

 

2. 90% of the funding for the Lunar X Prize must come from the private sector.

 

 

Will they win the Lunar X Prize? Not a clue, they are however the 1st to get FAA approval to try this.

[Valin]

Newt Gingrich Says Cash and Prizes Will Spur Space Technology
February 2, 2012
AMY BINGHAM

Moon colonies aside, Newt Gingrich has some seemingly unorthodox ideas about spurring innovation.

Forget federal grant programs or loan guarantees, Gingrich wants to win the 21 st century space race jumbo-check-and-balloons-style, with prizes, contests and challenges.

With multimillion-dollar prize purses and the prospect of nationwide bragging rights on the line, Gingrich claims such challenges will spur development for a fraction of the cost.

Gingrich proposes devoting 10 percent of NASA's budget to prizes. And with an $18.7 billion budget, Gingrich's plan would set aside nearly $2 billion to NASA-sponsored contests each year.

"You put up a bunch of interesting prizes, you are going to have so many people showing up who want to fly, it's going to be unbelievable," Gingrich said last week in Florida.

 

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I very seldom use the term Must Read But......

 

Breakout: Pioneers of the Future, Prison Guards of the Past, and the Epic Battle That Will Decide America's Fate

Newt Gingrich

 

 

This is one of those times.

[Valin]