Introduction
Houston, we have a problem... with deciding which private company is better equipped to land on the Moon. Moon Express and Astrobotic have been competing to make it to the Moon, and we, the Flare Compare team, will be here to help you assess their individual strengths and weaknesses. Let's take a closer look at each company and compare their achievements!
Moon Express
Moon Express, founded in 2010, is headquartered in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The company's ultimate goal is to mine the Moon for valuable resources, but before they get there, their first step is to land on the Moon. Moon Express has developed a robotic lander, MX-1E, which will be used for its lunar missions.
Achievements
- First private company to win a NASA contract for a lunar mission.
- Received support from the Trump administration for its lunar exploration ambitions.
- Successfully tested its lander's technology in 2014 and 2015.
Capabilities
- Moon Express has secured a launch contract with Rocket Lab, which will provide its Electron rocket for its mission.
- The company plans to launch the MX-1E in 2022, with the aim of landing on Mare Serenitatis, a lunar mare region.
- Moon Express' MX-1E can carry up to 30 kg of payload.
Astrobotic
Astrobotic is a Pittsburgh-based company founded in 2007. It aims to provide affordable lunar transportation services to other companies, governments, and individuals. The company has developed a lunar lander, Peregrine, which it will use for its missions.
Achievements
- Won a Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships (NextSTEP) contract from NASA for its lunar lander in 2014.
- Received support from NASA for its Peregrine landing.
Capabilities
- Astrobotic has signed up to fly with SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket, which can carry up to 16,800 kg to the Moon.
- The company plans to launch its Peregrine lander in 2022, with the aim of landing on the Lacus Mortis region on the Moon.
- Peregrine can carry up to 100 kg of payload.
Comparison
| Moon Express | Astrobotic | |
|---|---|---|
| Achievements | • First private company to win a NASA contract • Successful testing of lander technology |
• Won a NASA contract • Received NASA support |
| Capabilities | • MX-1E can carry 30 kg of payload • Launching with the Rocket Lab Electron rocket • Aiming to land on Mare Serenitatis |
• Peregrine can carry 100 kg of payload • Launching with SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket • Aiming to land on Lacus Mortis |
Conclusion
Both Moon Express and Astrobotic are impressive companies with significant achievements and capabilities. However, Astrobotic's Peregrine lander has more significant carrying capacity and has secured a launch with the more powerful SpaceX rocket. Moon Express, on the other hand, has successfully tested its lander technology and has secured a launch with Rocket Lab. It would be interesting to see which company achieves its lunar landing first! Watch this space!
References
- Moon Express - Private Space Company
- Astrobotic - Private Space Company
- Moon Express to Launch the Mexican Space Agency to the Moon by Moon Express
- Astrobotic Peregrine Lunar Lander - Our Next Step to the Moon in 2021! by Astrobotic
- NASA Awards Contracts to Advance Commercial Lunar Capabilities by NASA