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View Full Version here: : So RocketLab is going to the moon now ... !


ZeroID
04-08-2016, 12:50 PM
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3721921/America-going-moon-Private-mission-gets-ahead-send-lander-lunar-surface-historic-paves-way-space-tourism-asteroid-mining.html

Moon Express hopes to mine our satellite for materials like platinum-group metals, rare earth metals, helium-3 and moon rocks.
'Most of the elements that are rare on Earth are believed to have originated from space, and are largely on the surface of the Moon,' the company says.
The company has contracted Rocket Lab, which was founded in New Zealand but is now headquartered in Los Angeles, to launch its robotic spacecraft.
Rocket Lab will use its Electron rocket system to launch three missions of Moon Express' MX-1 lunar lander spacecraft, starting in 2017.

el_draco
04-08-2016, 01:50 PM
Someone needs a better editor. They've whacked an image of Charon up there instead of the moon... :eyepop::lol:

ZeroID
05-08-2016, 02:14 PM
Obviously have aspirations ... :P

pluto
05-08-2016, 07:40 PM
lol that's great :screwy:
(there really needs to be a forehead slap Smiley)

Looks like the RocketLab+Moon Express deal was done last year:
http://spacenews.com/moon-express-buys-rocket-lab-launches-for-lunar-missions/

It's good to see RocketLab are progressing, apparently they'll be flight testing this year. They've got a nice vid on their site of the second stage test firing :)