Masten Space Systems was selected by NASA for a Phase 1 NASA Innovative
Advanced Concepts (NIAC) award to study instant landing pads for Artemis
lunar missions. The NIAC program nurtures visionary ideas that could
transform future NASA missions with the creation of breakthroughs, while engaging America's innovators and entrepreneurs.
œEngine plumes kick up lunar regolith (soil) during landing which can
cause significant damage to the spacecraft as well as the surrounding
environment and infrastructure, said Matthew Kuhns, chief engineer of
Masten. œIn the case of larger rockets, you can even kick regolith up
into lunar orbit! Masten's in-Flight Alumina Spray Technique (FAST) aims to create
˜instant landing pads' beneath the lander as it descends. FAST uses
engineered particles, injected into the rocket plume, to build up a
coating over the regolith at the landing location over approximately 15
seconds of hover time. The hardened regolith would enable landers to
safely set down without the risks posed by engine plume effects,
allowing landings in relatively close proximity to other assets and
without the need for pre-existing infrastructure. œThe FAST concept opens access to the Moon and other planetary
surfaces, where regolith poses critical mission risks, said Sean
Mahoney, CEO of Masten. œEvery time FAST eliminates a landing pad
building project, the Artemis program saves over $120 million. The team will spend the next nine months investigating how FAST would
benefit Artemis moon landings which will land the first woman and the
next man on the lunar surface. Co-investigators include Dr. Phil Metzger
of University of Central Florida's Florida Space Institute, and Kris
Zacny of Honeybee Robotics. œWe were working on a plume cratering study with NASA and Dr.
Metzger, and so I started brainstorming ideas around ways you could land
without needing a precursor mission to create landing pads, continued
Matthew Kuhns. œLots of crazy ideas later, FAST stood out as the best
option, by far. œThis may or may not work, continued Sean Mahoney. œBut the only way
to find out is to do the research so we can better understand how to
address technical challenges. It is critical to the big feats of the
future that rigorous investigation into new options is supported, and
we're thankful that NASA is a great partner in helping develop these
innovations. About Masten Space Systems Source - https://www.newswire.com/news/masten-space-systems-selected-for-niac-award-to-research-instant-21156045
Mojave, California
based Masten Space Systems was founded in 2004 by CTO David Masten and
is focused on reusable rocket technology, driven by the goal of enabling
space transportation and providing reliable planetary landers for the
Earth, Moon, Mars, and beyond. Masten is lowering the barriers to space
access through their core technology of re-usability. The company sees a
future where rocket flights are so commonplace they're boring.
| Company Name | Contact Person | Contact Number | Email Id | Website | Address |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MASTER SPACE SYSTEM |
Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX) announced that it has commenced concurrent offerings of $750.0 million of shares of its common stock ("Commo...Read More
The impact of coronavirus has left most families in the tiny village of Bódvalenke, Hungary, reeling. So when a young mother from the tow...Read More
The coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic is claiming many lives, impacting the health of close to 5 million people with 324,000 deaths worldwide. As a...Read More
Masten Space Systems was selected by NASA for a Phase 1 NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) award to study instant landing pads for Artemis ...Read More
After only a month and a half of restrictions, Japan ended the COVID-19 state of emergency last week. According to Shigeru Omi, vice chairma...Read More
