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Moon soon to be open for business

Moon Express hopes to become the first private spaceflight company to send a robotic lander to the moon, scoop up some moon dust, load it into a small return vehicle, and send it back to Earth

Lift-off: From New Zealand, as payload on Rocket Lab’s Electron launcher

MX-1E: Designed to “hop” 500 metres to map lunar surface and transmit high-definition video back to Earth

PECO engine: Uses RP-1 fuel – rocket-grade kerosene – and hydrogen peroxide as oxidizer

MX-9 lander: Nine PECO engines can haul 500kg to lunar surface

Landing site: Equatorial region – high in ancient volcanic deposits

Sample acquisition: Search pyroclastic deposits for clues to potential deposits of lunar water

MX-1 ascent vehicle

Sample return capsule: Can carry around 8kg back to Earth

EARTH


Sources: Moon Express, NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center 
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