Lunar lander lineup

Mike Bailey, Scranton, PA — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 18:23:09 GMT

Is Paragon a ringer outfit? Their vehicle seems radically advanced compared to everyone else's but Armadillo, and it looks very similar to Pixel. Their team description on the LLC page makes it sound like these guys come from Big Aerospace, so even though Paragon has been around for a while, I have to wonder if the biggies haven't decided to "help out." The only way to describe the effect on the industry of Armadillo being flush with $1.5 million is "disruptive." They could seriously deliver on their promise of dirt-cheap, scaleable space access, and wouldn't need a single relationship with Lockheed, Boeing, or Northrop Grumman to do it. Carmack is starting to look like the 21st century's Howard Hughes. Maybe Old Space wants to get in there first and keep things under control?

Lunar lander lineup

Chris E — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 18:33:28 GMT

Was always a big fan of Northrop. Few people may remember the Northrop F-23. It was FAR superior to the F-22 (faster, more stealthy, longer range, bigger internal weapons bay, the first ever use of curved composites) but it was the F-22 that was chosen for political reasons. Sen. Sam Nunn lived in the state the F-22 was to be built. He was the head of the armed services committee...

As for as all these competitions go, I really don't favor them. It shows a decided lack of commitment on NASA and the Administration's part to come up with exactly what they hope to accomplish and what exactly might be the best way to get there. A Mach 8 SST fly-back booster is what is demanded to make space and the moon accessible to all, but that isn't going to happen without 20 billion dollars. You first need to know what you want to do before you start trying to design something for it. Waving flags on the moon isn’t a goal but that is about all these 'tinker-toy' landers will be able to do.

Lunar lander lineup

steve smyth lynn ma — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 20:58:36 GMT

How can one company need $25mil, and Armadillo is considered 'flush' at $1.6mil?
Old space is already there...with the situation well in hand...try to go somewhere without their permission...Space is Closed.
Call it what you will...every weapon out there points this way...as far as we know...do...do...do...doo...

Lunar lander lineup

Duncan McDonald — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 02:01:45 GMT

Mike, I assure you that Paragon is not a ringer, just a group of very hard working people with a lot of "domain experience" (but not all aerospace), led by an incredibly talented aerospace engineer. It really helps when the leader knows what they are doing!

Duncan McDonald
Solid-Motion

Lunar lander lineup

Mike Bailey, Scranton, PA — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 10:58:58 GMT

While I hope everybody fields and makes a good showing, it would be a crime if Armadillo didn't walk away with the money. They're pursuing a scaleable-to-orbit concept with their modules, and the prize money puts them right on track to eventually deliver space at bargain basement prices even SpaceX can't dream of yet. Economies from high flight rate would be magnified several times over by modularization, so you might get per-kg launch prices in the mid triple digits. I know Masten is looking at the same stuff and has some of the same potential, but Armadillo is stronger and further along, so it's in everyone's best interest that they win. Except for Masten, I'm afraid the money would just go nowhere if someone else got it. Armadillo has more potential than any firm out there, is second only to SpaceX in entrepreneurial spirit.