Deep Space Hardware (MARS)

The Micro-Space updated business plan uses the Google Lunar X Prize as a catalyst to advance our manned and unmanned space system development.

Admittedly this plan is ambitious, but it builds on systems Micro-Space has either in operation or deep in development.

We also admit that our “Business Planâ€

About that short-term investment, i would say if someone would pay 7,5 million for the launch and covering a bit of the developement cost, you cut cut a deal where the payoff is 200% if you win the prize. And the rest is for you.

Only problem is that nobody can't gurantee that the rover will work. But it would be a very good investment either way. The investor gets a lot of publicity (even more so when it fails) and when it works, he even gets a big payoff. I'd say that's a pretty good investment if played smartly with a publicity campaign.

Let some radioshag-company invest in this and just say that some of the equipement was bought there, or something in that direction.

We need more Paul Allens in this world.

I wonder if Bigelow will go after the lunar prize. Do the contenders have to register or can they just compete in secret? The X-prize site has a "How to Register a Team" section. Does anybody have a list of already registered teams?

Excuse me?

lol, don't know where i got that word, but i meant a large electronics supermarket.

RadioShack? ;)

Yeah, that must be it

That is pretty much my thinking. Something like it is actually going to happen, once potential advertisers realize that a lot of people are actually interested in space - IF THEY COULD POSSIBLY GO PERSONALLY.

The funding for one of the 33 "Indy Cars" for a single year roughly equals everything Paul Allen spent for SpaceShipOne! Cars are OK, but I like space exploration better than seeing rubber tires ground into dust!

(I once bought some discount circuit boards with a name like "radioshag" printed on them!)

Micro-Space has been involved for some time in discussions with a second Mars Expedition team. This is a large and serious group pursuing several expedition concepts in parallel. One subgroup is focused on low cost, “Ultralightâ€

An update on Micro-Space “Deep Spaceâ€

Micro-Space has a short, but growing list of committed customers for space adventures. Some of our offered space flight options have been reviewed in these pages.

If our philosophical ramblings have lead to doubt about Micro-Space intentions, I want to reiterate them here:

Micro-Space will be flying adventurers into near and interplanetary space at “affordableâ€

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I mentioned BALSA Wood specifically because it was one of the heat shield materials studied in an Arc-Jet tunnel with other lightweight reentry heat shield materials (published by Huy K. Tran, January, 1994 in NASA Technical Memorandum 108798).

While not impressive in performance, it was serviceable. At the studied heat loads, it offered 1/2 to 1/4 the heat absorption capability (Btu/lb mass) factor of the (unobtainable) Avcoat used for Apollo. More modern PICA shield materials (in NASA TM 110440) run from 2x better than Balsa at modest heat loads to 10x that performance level at high heat loads (which Balsa wouldn't tolerate).

Balsa is obtainable and adequate and serves as a good baseline for a heat shield mass. The fact that a number of Chinese craft have reentered successfully with OAK (wood) heat shields is similarly promising.

Endgrain Balsa is also an outstanding alternative to "Foam Core" for composite structures. Skinned with Graphite cloth and a high temperature epoxy/phenolic resin, it promises to make a heat tolerant, load bearing substrate for the ablative layer (balsa or PICA). This approach promises a reentry system below my targeted mass, easily produced with standard methods and modest cost.

New materials often aren't worth their added cost and applications complexity.

Many readers probably suspect that I do not have the resources to accomplish all that I have mapped out. You and I both have a similar suspicion about most other entrepreneurial launch companies, although they have various planned “solutionsâ€

I want to wish all readers a Merry Christmas! This day commemorates the day The Creator initiated a 33 year process which opened the door for all willing humans to enjoy a previously rare intimacy with Him! This, for those who choose to receive it, is the greatest imaginable “Christmas Presentâ€

This thread follows Micro-Space efforts to develop and demonstrate affordable human “Deep Spaceâ€