Rocket City Space Pioneers
Encyclopedia
The The Rocket City Space Pioneers (RCSP) is one of 29 teams from 17 different countries officially registered and remaining in the competition for the Google Lunar X PRIZE
(GLXP, sometimes referred to as Moon 2.0). The RCSP, drawn from Alabama
businesses, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations, announced its entry into the competition on 7 September 2010.
The RCSP is developing a low-cost lunar lander/rover system
for conducting commercial and scientific missions on the Moon. This system is intended to be capable of making a soft landing on the Moon and deploying a robotic rover. It will be launched from the Earth by a medium-lift launch vehicle
as part of a larger payload, then taken to a lunar orbit by a “tug” rocket-propulsion unit, and finally dropped to the Moon’s surface.
two-stage rocket, built by SpaceX
, will be launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
to place several metric tons of payload into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). This payload will consist of a primary payload, multiple rideshare payloads, and a tug (an ESPA with an added propulsion module). At the GTO, the primary payload will then be deployed, along with three secondary payloads. The tug, containing the remaining three payloads, will separate from the Falcon 9 second stage and perform a Trans Lunar Injection
burn. As the tug nears the Moon, it will make a final braking burn, inserting it with its payloads in a Low Lunar Orbit
(LLO)
Once in LLO, the tug will deploy the remaining three payloads, including the RCSP lander. The lander/rover will have its own small retrorocket, and, after being jettisoned from the tug, will conduct a braking maneuver to land softly on the lunar surface. Once on the surface, the lander will deploy a small rover for the required exploration.
The specific landing site and exploration traverse is to be determined. To win the Apollo Heritage Bonus Prize, a video image of hardware remains from the Apollo program or other man-made objects on the Moon must be captured. Thus, this will influence the landing-site selection. However, objections have been raised concerning possible disturbance to such sites.
(widely known as "The Rocket City"). Huntsville has been a leader in rocket development and space exploration since the arrival of Wernher von Braun and his team in 1950.
Members of the RSCP come from businesses, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations having operations in the Huntsville community. The following is a list of those organizations.
The RCSP is led by Tim Pickens, chief propulsion engineer and commercial space advisor at Dynetics. An inventor, innovator, and educator, Pickens was previously the founder and CEO of Orion Propulsion and, earlier, was the lead propulsion engineer on SpaceShipOne, the winner of the $10 million Ansari X Prize
.
Google Lunar X Prize
The Google Lunar X PRIZE, abbreviated GLXP, sometimes referred to as Moon 2.0, is a space competition organized by the X Prize Foundation, and sponsored by Google. It was announced at the Wired Nextfest on 13 September 2007...
(GLXP, sometimes referred to as Moon 2.0). The RCSP, drawn from Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
businesses, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations, announced its entry into the competition on 7 September 2010.
Mission
The Rocket City Space Pioneers' stated primary mission is to capture the GLXP $20 million Grand Prize, as well as the $4 million Apollo Heritage Bonus Prize. As the RCSP program progresses, it will consider attempting other challenges.The RCSP is developing a low-cost lunar lander/rover system
Lunar rover
The Lunar Roving Vehicle or lunar rover was a battery-powered four-wheeled rover used on the Moon in the last three missions of the American Apollo program during 1971 and 1972...
for conducting commercial and scientific missions on the Moon. This system is intended to be capable of making a soft landing on the Moon and deploying a robotic rover. It will be launched from the Earth by a medium-lift launch vehicle
Launch vehicle
In spaceflight, a launch vehicle or carrier rocket is a rocket used to carry a payload from the Earth's surface into outer space. A launch system includes the launch vehicle, the launch pad and other infrastructure....
as part of a larger payload, then taken to a lunar orbit by a “tug” rocket-propulsion unit, and finally dropped to the Moon’s surface.
Flight Sequence
A Falcon 9Falcon 9
Falcon 9 is a rocket-powered spaceflight launch system designed and manufactured by SpaceX. Both stages of its two-stage-to-orbit vehicle use liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene propellants...
two-stage rocket, built by SpaceX
SpaceX
Space Exploration Technologies Corporation, or more popularly and informally known as SpaceX, is an American space transport company that operates out of Hawthorne, California...
, will be launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station is an installation of the United States Air Force Space Command's 45th Space Wing, headquartered at nearby Patrick Air Force Base. Located on Cape Canaveral in the state of Florida, CCAFS is the primary launch head of America's Eastern Range with four launch pads...
to place several metric tons of payload into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). This payload will consist of a primary payload, multiple rideshare payloads, and a tug (an ESPA with an added propulsion module). At the GTO, the primary payload will then be deployed, along with three secondary payloads. The tug, containing the remaining three payloads, will separate from the Falcon 9 second stage and perform a Trans Lunar Injection
Trans Lunar Injection
A Trans Lunar Injection is a propulsive maneuver used to set a spacecraft on a trajectory which will arrive at the Moon.Typical lunar transfer trajectories approximate Hohmann transfers, although low energy transfers have also been used in some cases, as with the Hiten probe...
burn. As the tug nears the Moon, it will make a final braking burn, inserting it with its payloads in a Low Lunar Orbit
Lunar orbit
In astronomy, lunar orbit refers to the orbit of an object around the Moon.As used in the space program, this refers not to the orbit of the Moon about the Earth, but to orbits by various manned or unmanned spacecraft around the Moon...
(LLO)
Once in LLO, the tug will deploy the remaining three payloads, including the RCSP lander. The lander/rover will have its own small retrorocket, and, after being jettisoned from the tug, will conduct a braking maneuver to land softly on the lunar surface. Once on the surface, the lander will deploy a small rover for the required exploration.
Surface Exploration
As initially planned by the RCSP team, the rover will be capable of driving at least 1 km (0.6 mi) when it reaches the lunar surface; this is twice the required roving distance. The rover will be approximately 30 x 30 x 15 cm (12 x 12 x 6 in.) in size and less than 10 kg (22 lb) in mass. It will be tethered to the lander, with all external control and communications through this multi-circuit tether. The rover will carry two or more high-definition video cameras and possibly other sensors. The lander will contain the system for communicating with the control center on the Earth, possibly being relayed through the orbiting tug.The specific landing site and exploration traverse is to be determined. To win the Apollo Heritage Bonus Prize, a video image of hardware remains from the Apollo program or other man-made objects on the Moon must be captured. Thus, this will influence the landing-site selection. However, objections have been raised concerning possible disturbance to such sites.
Team members
The RCSP is based in and named after Huntsville, AlabamaHuntsville, Alabama
Huntsville is a city located primarily in Madison County in the central part of the far northern region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Huntsville is the county seat of Madison County. The city extends west into neighboring Limestone County. Huntsville's population was 180,105 as of the 2010 Census....
(widely known as "The Rocket City"). Huntsville has been a leader in rocket development and space exploration since the arrival of Wernher von Braun and his team in 1950.
Members of the RSCP come from businesses, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations having operations in the Huntsville community. The following is a list of those organizations.
- Dynetics (corporate leader) – An employee-owned firm headquartered in Huntsville, Dynetics has provided high-value engineering, scientific, information technology, and specialized manufacturing to government agencies and commercial industries since 1974. Dynetics has a contract with NASA’s Johnson Space Center for supplying “Innovative Lunar Demonstrations Data.”
- Teledyne Brown Engineering – A subsidiary of Teledyne TechnologiesTeledyneTeledyne Technologies Incorporated is an industrial conglomerate primarily based in the United States but with global operations. It was founded in 1960, as Teledyne, Inc., by Henry Singleton and George Kozmetsky....
, TBE and its predecessor have operated in Huntsville since 1953. They provided 20 million man-hours supporting every aspect of the Apollo Lunar Program, including the Lunar Rover.
- Andrews SpaceAndrews SpaceAndrews Space is a small aerospace company based in Seattle, Washington, founded in 1999 to develop space systems. Andrews provides aerospace services for commercial, civil, and military clients.-Current projects:...
– Founded in 1999 as a catalyst in the commercialization and development of space, the company formed Spaceflight Services to provide low-cost space access and has an agreement with SpaceX for integration services on the Falcon 9 launch vehicle.
- Draper Laboratory – A not-for-profit research and development organization that has been involved in guidance, navigation, and control for five decades, Draper was a major participant in NASA space programs including Apollo, Space Shuttle, and the International Space Station.
- University of Alabama in HuntsvilleUniversity of Alabama in HuntsvilleThe University of Alabama in Huntsville is a state-supported, public, coeducational research university, located in Huntsville, Alabama, United States, is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award baccalaureate, master's and doctoral degrees, and is organized in five...
– With a heritage extending back into the 1950s and an independent university since 1970, UAHuntsville ranks among the top institutes in the nation for NASA research. They have flown more than 20 Space Shuttle and ISS payloads.
- Pratt & Whitney RocketdynePratt & Whitney RocketdynePratt & Whitney Rocketdyne is a United States company that designs and produces rocket engines that use liquid propellants. Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, headquartered in Canoga Park, California, is a division of Pratt & Whitney, itself a wholly owned subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation...
– A subsidiary of United Technologies CorporationUnited Technologies CorporationUnited Technologies Corporation is an American multinational conglomerate headquartered in the United Technologies Building in Hartford, Connecticut...
, PWR is a company that designs and produces liquid propellant rocket engines. While PWR headquarters is in Canoga Park, California, they have an operational unit in Huntsville.
- Von Braun Center for Science & Innovation – A not-for-profit research for development operation, the VCSI integrates government, industry and university researchers to provide scientific and engineering solutions in addressing key technological problems.
- Huntsville Center for Technology – A unit of the Huntsville City School system, their “Engineering Meets Education” program will allow high school students to directly participate with the RCSP team in a variety of activities.
The RCSP is led by Tim Pickens, chief propulsion engineer and commercial space advisor at Dynetics. An inventor, innovator, and educator, Pickens was previously the founder and CEO of Orion Propulsion and, earlier, was the lead propulsion engineer on SpaceShipOne, the winner of the $10 million Ansari X Prize
Ansari X Prize
The Ansari X Prize was a space competition in which the X Prize Foundation offered a US$10,000,000 prize for the first non-government organization to launch a reusable manned spacecraft into space twice within two weeks...
.