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Stone Aerospace presser....
Not a fly-by-night outfit. Their DEPTHX, developed with NASA & the NSF, looks to be the prototype of a device to explore Europa's ocean.
IMO to meet their 2015 timetable they must be teaming with the Bigelow & Lockheed keiretsu expected to be announced April 10th. This would presumably use Lockheed's CTV capsule (launched by Atlas V) and Bigelow's announced lunar bases that would be assembled in space at L1 then landed intact & ready to go anywhere on the moon.
Another capsule alternative would be SpaceX's Dragon, which it turns out will be lunar capale even though that wasn't part of NASA's COTS program spec. Sounds like they're thinking ahead.
At this rate: NASA who?
Not a fly-by-night outfit. Their DEPTHX, developed with NASA & the NSF, looks to be the prototype of a device to explore Europa's ocean.
IMO to meet their 2015 timetable they must be teaming with the Bigelow & Lockheed keiretsu expected to be announced April 10th. This would presumably use Lockheed's CTV capsule (launched by Atlas V) and Bigelow's announced lunar bases that would be assembled in space at L1 then landed intact & ready to go anywhere on the moon.
Another capsule alternative would be SpaceX's Dragon, which it turns out will be lunar capale even though that wasn't part of NASA's COTS program spec. Sounds like they're thinking ahead.
At this rate: NASA who?
Stone Aerospace Announces Formation of a Company to Establish a Commercial Refueling Station in Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
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To accomplish the task, Stone has formed a company, called Shackleton Energy Company (SEC), which will lead the business development effort. Stone said “once initial funding is received to initiate the detailed planning effort, we expect to be open for business in LEO in the 2015 timeframe. With a novel new and aggressive international program, we estimate the cost to be about $15 billion and offer fuels for about 1/10th the price that must be charged when launched from earth. SEC and its partners will most likely use a variety of commercial launch vehicles and power systems to place equipment and work crews on the moon and in LEO. Our philosophy is to incrementally assemble inflatable structures in LEO then deploy them to the moon as a means to open the highway for continuous bi-directional logistic support operations.â€
Stone also indicated “this endeavor will require a paradigm shift in thinking and execution where risk is managed at a much different level than any government could tolerate. Only by operating commercially will this enterprise be successful. If successful, SEC will open the doors to untold new applications in commerce, science and security for those who want to explore the solar system and beyond. These are exciting times matched by the convergence of wealth, vision and demand for access to space on an unprecedented scale. The business opportunity for this new capability is wide open and we (and our partners) intend to be the first to market to provide orbital refueling services to mankind.â€
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To accomplish the task, Stone has formed a company, called Shackleton Energy Company (SEC), which will lead the business development effort. Stone said “once initial funding is received to initiate the detailed planning effort, we expect to be open for business in LEO in the 2015 timeframe. With a novel new and aggressive international program, we estimate the cost to be about $15 billion and offer fuels for about 1/10th the price that must be charged when launched from earth. SEC and its partners will most likely use a variety of commercial launch vehicles and power systems to place equipment and work crews on the moon and in LEO. Our philosophy is to incrementally assemble inflatable structures in LEO then deploy them to the moon as a means to open the highway for continuous bi-directional logistic support operations.â€
Stone also indicated “this endeavor will require a paradigm shift in thinking and execution where risk is managed at a much different level than any government could tolerate. Only by operating commercially will this enterprise be successful. If successful, SEC will open the doors to untold new applications in commerce, science and security for those who want to explore the solar system and beyond. These are exciting times matched by the convergence of wealth, vision and demand for access to space on an unprecedented scale. The business opportunity for this new capability is wide open and we (and our partners) intend to be the first to market to provide orbital refueling services to mankind.â€
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