Tag: AstroForge
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AstroForge Completes DeepSpace-2 Spacecraft Ahead of Asteroid Rendezvous Mission
Asteroid mining startup AstroForge has completed assembly of the major flight hardware for its DeepSpace-2 spacecraft, positioning the mission for launch later this year as the company pursues its goal of demonstrating asteroid rendezvous capabilities in deep space. The spacecraft is scheduled to launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket alongside Intuitive Machines’ IM-3 lunar…
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NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer, AstroForge’s Odin face post-deployment challenges
Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C lander, named Athena, is prepared for encapsulation inside SpaceX Falcon 9 payload fairings. Beneath the lander are rideshare payloads from Epic Aerospace (front), AstroForge (right), and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (behind). Image: SpaceX via Intuitive Machines Two spacecraft that launched as rideshare payloads on Intuitive Machines’ IM-2 mission are dealing with post-deployment…
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SpaceX launches Intuitive Machines’ 2nd Moon lander, 3 rideshare spacecraft
A streak shot of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket as it launched the IM-2 mission for Intuitive Machines and sent its Nova-C lander, Athena, to a lunar transfer orbit. Image: Michael Cain/Spaceflight Now Intuitive Machines is heading back to the Moon following its first trip a year ago. The company based in Houston, Texas, sent another…
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AstroForge selects target for “high risk, seat of the pants” asteroid mission
The concept of flying out to distant asteroids and mining them for precious metals is going to seem preposterous right up until the moment that someone actually does it. It’s a terrible business model because it requires years and years of up-front investment and solving myriad technical problems before there’s any hope of a financial…