Astrobotic Technology Signs SpaceX Contract for Lunar XPrize Mission

Share:

Facebook
X
Pinterest
LinkedIn

Astrobotic
Falcon 9 / Lunar Mission
Image Credit:
Astrobotic Technology
Astrobotic Technology, Inc., a spinoff from Carnegie Mellon University, announced the signing of a contract with SpaceX to launch its Lunar XPrize mission using a Falcon 9 rocket.

Astrobotic intends to launch as early as December 2013. The mission includes a rover designed to operate for three months, and commercial payloads on the lander priced at $700,000 per pound, plus a fee of $250,000-per-payload to cover the cost of integration, communications, power, thermal control and pointing services.

Currently, Astrobotic Technology has a contract with NASA to design a lunar mining robot that can extract frozen volatiles (water, methane) at polar locations. These can be used to create propellants for spacecraft returning to Earth.

 

Share:

Facebook
X
Pinterest
LinkedIn
Picture of By National Space Society

By National Space Society

Leave a Comment

Don't Miss a Beat!

Be the first to know when new articles are posted!

Search
Categories

Follow Us On Social Media

JOIN THE
GREATEST ADVENTURE

Give The Gift Of Space: Membership For Friends and Family

Book Review

Archives


Hilton McLean Tysons Corner, McLean, Virginia
June 4 - 7, 2026

Recent Blog Posts

Category: Nonfiction Reviewed by: Douglas G. Adler Title: Space Ace: A Combat Pilot’s Journey from Vietnam to Beyond Earth Author: Robert “Hoot” Gibson Format: Hardcover/Kindle...

The 44th Annual International Space Development Conference will be held in McLean, VA, June 4-7, 2026 The National Space Society is pleased to announce that...

OPINION By Burt Dicht NSS Space Coast Correspondent Image: New Glenn Second Stage (Credit: Blue Origin) When Blue Origin’s New Glenn 3 mission (NG-3) suffered...

By Burt Dicht NSS Space Coast Correspondent (Updated post) I was at Jetty Park this morning with fellow NSS member Fred Becker to witness the...

Category: Nonfiction Reviewed by: Casey Suire Title: Return to Launch: Florida and America’s Space Industry Author: Stephen C. Smith Format: Hardcover/Kindle Pages: 348 Publisher: University...

By Burt Dicht NSS Space Coast Correspondent NSS Managing Director of Membership More than half a century after the last Apollo astronauts left the Moon’s...

Now we must focus on continued forward-looking goals In the evening of April 10, the Artemis 2 mission concluded with a flawless reentry and splashdown...

By Burt Dicht NSS Space Coast Correspondent Artemis II – By the Numbers Flight Day 10 — Friday, April 10, 2026 Status at Wake-Up The...

Your Doorway to New Worlds