RTTM VI Day 1

07/21/05 00:00:00    

By Michael Mealling

p. I finally found an access point so I'll be able to post during the sessions. So far we're just doing the introductions.

I spent yesterday at an economic development workshop run by SpaceWorks Engineering in support of a contract for economic modelling they won back in April. The work that SpaceWorks is doing with their Nodal Economic Space Commerce (NESC) model is very similar to the CDSVN project I've been working to setup for a year or so. I'll be writing an article on just that workshop later tonight.

Now we're hearing from Rick Tumlinson give his inspiring stump speech to wake the crowd up.

I have pictures up on flickr.

p. Now we're at the first panel “How Do We Get To The Moon?” which is looking at various launch methods that can be used to get enough mass to the moon to be useful. So far there are no new announcements from anyone so this is really just an overview of the lunar capabilities of each of the companies presenting.

p. We're now on the second “How do we get there panel”. This one is focusing on cislunar transport and assumes that someone has gotten the payload into LEO. Right now we're hearing from Bruce Pitman from Lunar Transportation Systems and he's showing their lunar tug and how it does refuel using tank transfer instead of pumping of cryogenic fuels.

p. During lunch we heard from Paul Eckert from Boeing talk about the need for cooperation between 'traditional', 'non-traditional', NASA, and other industries/customers in order to reduce risk and increase market sizes.

p. Now we're into the “How will we live on the Moon?” panel with Dennis Wing, James Hopkins, Dennis Wingo, and Ken Stratton. Ken's presentation on what Caterpiller has done in space and robotics was really interesting. Due to some of the environments their products work in, they require non-polluting engines (imagine a diesel tractor in a mine). Because of this they are deploying some of the more advanced fuel cell technology in real world applications. Dennis is also talking about a new solar electric tug design he's currently working with Langly on. Brant Sponberg is now talking about existing Centennial Challenges and has said that they will be announcing a new challenge during his session tomorrow afternoon (after mine). Other challenges they're working are: Lunar Regolith Extraction, Other in situ products, Lunar ATV, Soft Lunar Landing, Station Keeping solar sail (lunar polar communications/Navigation)

p. We're now on the “What will we do on the Moon? (Science)” session with Mike Wargo (NASA), Larry Taylor (U. of Tennesee), and Wendell Mendell (NASA JSC). Dr. Mendell, who has forgotten more about the moon than most of us will ever know, is talking about how Science and Engineering can work together within the VSE.

p. Larry Taylor is currently talking about the fact that you can use microwaves to easily sinter regolith. He has a cool idea of a road builder that grates and sinters as it rolls across the surface. He also asserts that the fines in lunar regolith (that dreaded dust) is magnetic and had demonstrated it for the crowd. <br clear=“left”

p. The last session of the day is Brett Alexander of t/space and formerly of the OSTP talking about the VSE.