Connect with us
Falcon 9 has won a contract launch what will likely be a rideshare mission - featuring the Nova C Moon lander - in July 2021. (SpaceX) Falcon 9 has won a contract launch what will likely be a rideshare mission - featuring the Nova C Moon lander - in July 2021. (SpaceX)

News

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket wins commercial Moon lander launch contract

Falcon 9 has won a contract launch what will likely be a rideshare mission - featuring the Nova C Moon lander - in July 2021. (SpaceX)

Published

on

Intuitive Machines has selected SpaceX’s Falcon 9 workhorse to launch the company’s commercial Nova-C Moon lander as early as July 2021.

Funded in May 2019 as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS), Nova-C is designed to deliver up to 100 kg (220 lb) of useful payload to the surface of the Moon. NASA hopes to take advantage of that capability to dramatically lower the cost of lunar science, exploration, and prospecting.

In May 2019, NASA awarded three separate CLPS contracts worth approximately $255M in a bid to fund the development and first launches of three commercial Moon landers. Orbit Beyond, a recipient of $97M, has since returned the money after indicating to NASA that they couldn’t follow through on their commitments, possibly related to the company’s close technological ties to already-built Indian Moon lander designs.

Regardless of that drama, two of the three awardees – Astrobotic and Intuitive Machines – remain intent upon becoming the first private company to perform a soft-landing on the Moon. Astrobotic’s Peregrine lander received $79.5M to Intuitive Machines’ $77M and both companies are working towards inaugural launches no earlier than (NET) July 2021.

In August, Astrobotic announced that Peregrine’s first lunar landing attempt would launch on the first flight of the United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) Vulcan Centaur rocket, meant to replace the Lockheed Martin-Boeing cooperative’s Delta IV and Atlas V vehicles. Although that decision likely saved Astrobotic a significant amount of money on Peregrine’s launch contract, it does mean that the lander will be under heavy threat of launch-side delays as ULA works to prepare Vulcan for its launch debut.

Intuitive Machines, on the other hand, has selected SpaceX’s Falcon 9 for the NET July 2021 launch debut of its Nova-C lander. Weighing ~1500 kg (3300 lb) at launch and designed to head to the Moon from Earth orbit, Falcon 9 will likely have plenty of room left for additional copassenger satellites.

SpaceIL’s Beresheet Moon lander is stacked on top of the PSN-6 communications satellite. (SpaceX)

Of note, SpaceX has already supported the launch of Israeli company SpaceIL’s Beresheet spacecraft in what was the first commercial Moon landing ever attempted. Launched in February 2019, the lander sadly failed just a few kilometers above the lunar surface, but the mission was still inspiring and a strong sign that – while no easy task – private companies can almost certainly land payloads on the Moon.

For now, Astrobotic and Intuitive Machines remain neck and neck in their separate bids to land on the Moon, paving the way for a good-old-fashioned race to the lunar surface.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Z6k9KWFwHg

Check out Teslarati’s Marketplace! We offer Tesla accessories, including for the Tesla Cybertruck and Tesla Model 3.

Advertisement

Eric Ralph is Teslarati's senior spaceflight reporter and has been covering the industry in some capacity for almost half a decade, largely spurred in 2016 by a trip to Mexico to watch Elon Musk reveal SpaceX's plans for Mars in person. Aside from spreading interest and excitement about spaceflight far and wide, his primary goal is to cover humanity's ongoing efforts to expand beyond Earth to the Moon, Mars, and elsewhere.

Advertisement
Comments

News

Tesla adjusts Online Design Studio for easier trade-in process

Tesla has a great trade-in program that allows you to give the company your vehicle in exchange for cash, even if it’s not an EV. Their trades are mostly fair, but the company seems to undervalue its own vehicles, and there have been plenty of complaints over offers in the past.

Published

on

(Credit: Tesla Asia | X)

Tesla has adjusted its Online Design Studio to make for an easier trade-in process, reflecting the details of the exchange for a more accurate reflection of payment terms.

Tesla has a great trade-in program that allows you to give the company your vehicle in exchange for cash, even if it’s not an EV. Their trades are mostly fair, but the company seems to undervalue its own vehicles, and there have been plenty of complaints over offers in the past.

Trade-ins are usually given by submitting vehicle details, then Tesla sends an email with an offer. Offers are non-negotiable, but do adjust over time, although the latest offer is valid for 30 days.

I traded my ICE vehicle for a Tesla Model Y: here’s how it went

Knowing your new Tesla’s cash price, leasing or loan details, and monthly payment information used to be done by the car buyer. From personal experience, I simply subtracted my trade-in from the cash price of the Tesla Model Y, and I plugged those numbers into the payment calculator.

Now, Tesla is implementing the trade-in process directly into the Design Studio. It will adjust the price of the car and the different monthly payment methods automatically:

The change is already noticed in a handful of states, including California, but it has not rolled out across the board quite yet. It will be implemented in all of the U.S., as well as Canada, this coming week.

The trade-in process is very simple, and after you accept your offer, you simply drop your vehicle off during the delivery process. Making this simple change will be greatly appreciated by owners.

Continue Reading

News

Tesla confirms Robotaxi is heading to five new cities in the U.S.

After launching in Austin, Texas, in late June and the Bay Area of California just a few weeks later, Tesla has been attempting to expand its Robotaxi suite to new states and cities in the U.S., and even outside of the country.

Published

on

Credit: Tesla

Tesla Robotaxi will hit five new cities in the United States in the coming months, the company confirmed.

After launching in Austin, Texas, in late June and the Bay Area of California just a few weeks later, Tesla has been attempting to expand its Robotaxi suite to new states and cities in the U.S., and even outside of the country.

The Robotaxi suite is a ride-hailing service Tesla offers, but the details of it change with each jurisdiction, as regulations vary. For example, in Austin, Tesla can operate the Robotaxi suite without anyone in the driver’s seat, as long as the vehicle does not enter a freeway.

Credit: Tesla

In the Bay Area, a Safety Monitor rides in the driver’s seat, essentially acting as the vehicle operator with Full Self-Driving controlling the car.

The local regulations and how Tesla handles them will continue to be a relevant part of the discussion, especially as the company aims to expand the Robotaxi program to different areas. This has been a primary focus of the company for several months, especially within the United States.

CEO Elon Musk said that Tesla was aiming to launch Robotaxi in Nevada, Arizona, and Florida. However, the company detailed five specific cities where it will launch Robotaxi next during the Annual Shareholder Meeting on Thursday.

Tesla will launch Robotaxi in Las Vegas, Phoenix, Dallas, Houston, and Miami next, broadening its Service Area for the suite to more major cities across the U.S.

It has said it plans to offer the service to half of the U.S. population by the end of the year, but it does not seem as if it will expand to more than a handful of cities this year, which is still tremendous progress, all things considered.

As far as autonomy is concerned, Tesla has always had lofty expectations and has made some even loftier statements.

At the Shareholder Meeting, Musk said that the company would likely be able to enable vehicle owners to text while the vehicle drives, alleviating them from potentially having some of the responsibility they have behind the wheel.

Tesla says texting and driving capability is coming ‘in a month or two’

It is not confirmed that Tesla will roll this out in the next few months, but Musk said there is a possibility.

Continue Reading

News

Tesla launches another new Model Y trim at a bargain price with massive range

It is the second most-affordable Model Y trim level in China, trailing the base Rear-Wheel-Drive and coming in under the All-Wheel-Drive.

Published

on

Credit: Tesla

Tesla has launched yet another new Model Y trim level, but this time it is in China, and it is at a bargain price.

It also has an insane range rating.

On Friday, Tesla launched the new Model Y Long Range Rear-Wheel-Drive in China, priced at 288,500 yuan ($40,500), an incredible deal considering it is not a stripped-down version of the vehicle like the Model Y Standard.

It is the second most-affordable Model Y trim level in China, trailing the base Rear-Wheel-Drive and coming in under the All-Wheel-Drive.

The big appeal with this new Model Y trim is obviously its price, but its range rating is also one of the best we’ve seen. Rated at 821 kilometers on the CLTC scale, it converts to 510 miles. It uses a 78.4 kWh CATL battery.

Converted to real-world range, however, that 821-kilometer range rated by the CLTC actually is equivalent to about 357 miles on the EPA scale, which is still a very respectable number and comes in at a higher range than the Long Range All-Wheel-Drive configuration that is available in the U.S.

Tesla has truly brought a wide variety of Model Y trims to the Chinese market, including a new Model Y L configuration that features a slightly longer wheelbase, as well as additional interior features like extended thigh legrests and captain’s chairs with armrests.

It is unclear whether Tesla will bring a Premium Rear-Wheel-Drive option of the Model Y to the U.S., especially as it has already rolled out four configurations of the all-electric crossover in the market. With the new Standard offerings, Tesla will likely keep its lineup as simple as possible.

However, the company has hinted that there is a slim possibility the Model Y L could come to the U.S. sometime late next year, but CEO Elon Musk said that it is not a guarantee.

Tesla is more concerned with self-driving efforts in the U.S., and despite calls from customers for larger vehicles, it does not seem concerned with making them available, at least not for now.

Continue Reading

Trending