In utilising the proven track record and innovative engineering solutions of a company whose work extends back to the Apollo era, you might think that a partnership between Raytheon and a private aerospace outfit, would be just the ticket by which to realize the dream of winning the Google Lunar X Prize: If so, you would undoubtedly be correct, for that is just the intention of Astrobotic technology,a new Carnegie university based robotics team with who hope take the much vaunted Moon prize.
William Whittaker, Astrobotic’s head of technological development, and a leading light in the science of robotics at Carnegie, founded his company in November 2007; Whittaker’s intention was to offer Astrobotic’s varied robotic system to a host of tasks be they in Earth orbit or cis-lunar space. The company declared its intention to participate in the Google lunar X Prize in September 2007, their goal being to snag many of the key milestones outlined in the rulebook, in order to take a share, if not a significant chunk of the total prize fund.
Raytheon’s involvement will figure heavily in the management of the engineering aspect of the Astrobiotic’s eventual lander and rover. Mike Booen, Raytheon vice president of the company’s Advanced Missile Defense & Directed Energy wing, commented: ‘ We are delighted to work with Dr. Whittaker on this extraordinary lunar project. Development of a lunar lander is a natural extension for the company's space-proven technologies’.
With a history of producing systems ranging from satellite control systems to GPS systems for the Department of Defense, Raytheon are sure to give Astrobotic’s efforts a key boost: We can, in turn, expect many more teams to join the race in the weeks and month ahead as Astrobotic are sure to become a star in a yet to be crowded sky.
Image:NASA
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