Synergy Moon Discuss Entering the Google Lunar X PRIZE

The Space Fellowship recently reported on the Google Lunar X-PRIZE’s latest entrant “SYNERGY MOON”.

InterPlanetary Ventures, the Human Synergy Project, and Interorbital Systems have joined forces to compete in the Google Lunar X PRIZE race to the Moon, which offers $30,000,000 in prizes for competition winners. The SYNERGY MOON team includes working groups in over a dozen countries, promoting international cooperation in space exploration and development.

The Space Fellowship got in contact with Interorbital Systems CEO Randa Milliron to ask about this new and exciting project, Randa kindly discussed how the team came together and what they plan on achieving.

Asked about how it all started, Randa explained “A few months ago, Interorbital Systems received some queries from the Human Synergy Moon Project (HSP) about our capabilities to conduct a lunar launch. Shortly thereafter, Tony Webb, founder of eSpaceTickets.com (our first major sponsor), catalyzed the merge when he introduced us to Kevin Myrick of InterPlanetary Ventures (IPV), and to Nebojsa Stanojevic director of the Human Synergy Moon Project—two formerly independent Google Lunar X PRIZE teams. We found that we all embraced similar philosophies about space exploration, and IOS decided to join them in a lunar quest.”

I asked Randa when this all started happening, I was told that the two teams (IPV and HSP) had been organized and working independently for over a year. IPV and HSP joined forces in December of 2008. IOS joined SYNERGY MOON in February of 2009.

One interesting aspect of creating a team by merging several groups together is the specific responsibilities of each member group. I asked how SYNERGY MOON planned on splitting specific tasks, Randa gave me a breakdown.

There are groups within each of the three organizations. Here’s the breakdown:
(Photos on http://www.synergymoon.org“Team”)

Kevin Myrick is the official Team Leader for our Google Lunar X PRIZE team.

Boris Petrovic is our project manager and graphic artist.

Nebojsa Stanojevic is Director of the Human Synergy Project, and will manage our Adventurers, Promotions and Media group.

Randa Milliron is the CEO of Interorbital Systems, and is the official media contact for SYNERGY MOON press relations.

Roderick Milliron is the President and Chief Designer/Engineer of Interorbital Systems; his IOS team is developing the lunar launch vehicle and lunar lander, and will provide launch services for systems testing and the lunar mission.

Rameesha De Silva of the Intelligent Machines Laboratory at the University of Moratuwa in Sri Lanka leads our robotics group, developing our lunar rovers. The team includes Dr. Edin Omerdic: software control interface for our rovers, and Dr. Palitha Dassanayake: simulation software for design and development process.

Sayandeep Khan manages the applications group, working with our Principal Investigator Brian Shiro to develop the instruments for scientific investigation in space and on the Moon. This group is mostly undergraduate students.

Anton Volkonskiy is our Quality Assurance Director. He will manage our extreme environment testing procedures, to insure that all hardware is robust enough to survive launch and landing, and to operate in the hostile environments of deep space and the Moon.

Tony Bradley will manage ground control, which includes the communications group. This will include the development of our communications hardware for the ground, spacecraft, and rover, and developing our ground tracking, communications and control systems and network.

Mark Posen of RPC Telecom will manage our communications, regulatory, and licensing requirements, and work closely with Tony in the ground control group.

Randa later added that “In terms of raising funding, all teams are responsible. Every aspect of the project is important. From Interorbital’s point of view, developing the Earth–Moon transportation system is a huge responsibility, but every aspect of the mission is no less important. It’s a 100% success only if all groups are collaborating and producing with a clear vision of the goal of reaching the Moon as their driving force. The synergy is happening, and it’s all really exciting to be part of a highly creative team in which nearly every scientist and technician is also an artist, musician, and /or filmmaker. SYNERGY MOON rules!

SYNERGY MOON is organized with a three-person Executive Committee to act as a ‘tie-breaker’ should that be needed. Each of the groups has its own tasks and responsibilities, based on its own set of capabilities.”

The Space Fellowship has spoken with both Kevin Myrick and Randa Milliron on several occasions during the past year or so. With this is mind we have been used to seeing progress from both organisations, I asked how far along the team were with ideas, designs and actual testing of hardware.

“Last year, we completed the design for our own (IOS) lunar sample return mission. We will use a variant of that mission to take the SYNERGY MOON rovers to the Moon. The rovers have been in work for over a year and are nearly complete.”

Looking closer at the rocket and taking into consideration the progress already achieved by IOS I asked if they would use the original IOS rocket designs, Randa tells me “For our lunar missions, we’ll be using a variation of the NEPTUNE rocket. We haven’t as yet released the design, but like our other designs, it’s extremely practical.”

IOS had earlier spoken to the Space Fellowship about their joint project with “Vision One” This project allows the public to join in and have their names sent into space for as little as $1. I asked Randa if anything similar would be available from SYNERGY MOON. Randa told the Space Fellowship that “We’ll send the X PRIZE required payload items, names of supporters, and if there is any additional weight allowance, more. We’re considering sending a small amount of DNA and some as yet undisclosed ‘cargo.’”

Randa also revealed some specifics about their Lunar-Direct launch, telling the Space Fellowship:

“We’ll very likely take off from the South Pacific Ocean near the Kingdom of Tonga. The launch involves a direct ascent from the Earth into a ballistic trajectory, and ends with a direct descent to the Moon’s surface. This is called a First Revolution Elliptical Lunar Transfer Trajectory, with the Moon arriving at the apoapsis at the same time as the lander. After touchdown on the Moon, the lander will deploy the rover. This method differs from the Apollo missions, which used an Earth Parking Orbit and a Lunar Parking Orbit (going into orbit around the Moon before deploying a lander to the surface). We have a weight penalty, but this method reduces the complexity of the mission while increasing its probability of success. In addition, our mobile ocean-launch method allows us to chose and vary the launch point, which gives us flexibility in terms of launch windows.”

They hope to complete the mission within the 2012 timeframe; I am told that aspects such as the potential redeployment of winnings are still being negotiated as internal relationships are structured. With regards to joining the prize later on than many entrants I asked if they felt this may prove to be a disadvantage.

Randa explained “Since we founded Trans Lunar Research and Interorbital Systems in 1996, we have been designing, preparing, building, and testing for the goal of conducting our first lunar mission. In terms of our legacy designs, systems, engines, and testing, we’re at least a dozen years ahead of the pack.” Randa also explains that long-term plans will not be affected by winning/not winning the prize, she tells me that their primary goal is and always has been to establish an Earth-Moon transportation system and with that system, to establish a permanent lunar base. I asked if the partnership may continue if the prize is won Randa tells me “If we can get to the Moon together, I’d say that would be a relationship that is worth continuing!”

Looking at teams such as Team Frednet there has been a lot of interest in how a team can work together with so many parts of the organisation working in different places across the globe, Randa explains how the groups will work at their own operations centre and come together for public events, as well as for testing and launch operations, or whenever required.

View the Lunar Lander Concept Simulation video

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