Pre Launch Status (Oct 2010)

COM = Cross on the Moon; October heated up for space activities. Specifically NASA awarded 6 US companies for their ILDD (Innovation Lunar Demonstrations Data) program. Funding can range from $10K to $10M each. Read about it here (NASA) and here (GLXP). The teams are:

1. Astrobotic Technology Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa.
2. The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc., Cambridge, Mass.
3. Dynetics Inc., Huntsville, Ala.
4. Earthrise Space Inc., Orlando, Fla.
5. Moon Express Inc., San Francisco
6. Team FREDNET, The Open Space Society, Inc., Huntsville, Ala.

Then Google’s Lunar X-Prize held thier 4th yearly mission progress meeting October 8 where 14 of 23 teams attended.


You may not be aware of another non-profit organization: World Space Week Association (WSWA). Founded in 1981, they plan activities for October 4-10 every year. Information is here.

Still another non-profit space organization is the Moon Society. They posted a 2007 video this month on “Why the Moon?” along with the origins of Phobos, a Martian moon with similar origins as our moon.

Lastly, Cross on the Moon is a US recognized tax exmpt non-profit organization. We haven’t made a strong appeal for donations this year but as Google’s prize ends in 2014, many teams are now in thier testing phases along with scheduling launch providers. Please contribute to sending a cross to the moon aboard a private space craft.

Your servant,

Michael Clark. President Cross on the Moon.