A Step Forward for Commercial Space Travel

Rendering of the Moon Express MX-1 Spacecraft (Image courtesy of Moon Express.)

In a first for the growing space travel industry, Moon Express (MoonEx) has filed for a payload review of its spacecraft intended for a mission to the Moon in 2017. The submission to the Federal Aviation Administration Office of Commercial Space Transportation (FAA/AST), brings the privately funded company one step closer to making the first commercial flight to the Moon.

While the mission details are still being released to the public, the Moon Express website is clear about the company’s intent. By expanding humanity’s reach to include the Moon as an “eighth continent,” MoonEx sees a future where the resource-rich satellite is part of the Earth’s economic sphere - and is a threshold to a much wider expansion into space.

Diagram of the Moon Express MX-1 Spacecraft (Image courtesy of Moon Express.)

A private company showing interest in travel to our planet’s closest neighbour is certainly exciting in and of itself. However, the real positive step here is the development of the regulatory framework that will be needed to allow for non-government agencies to apply for licenses for space travel.

MoonEx has been working with the White House, US regulatory agencies and Congressional oversight committees to lay a foundation for this mission as well as future endeavours. Any mission to space will also need to operate within international treaty regulation, and work through its fair share of red tape.

(Video courtesy of Moon Express.)

"Moon Express applauds efforts underway by the U.S. Congress and Executive Branch to establish a permanent regulatory framework to authorize commercial activities beyond Earth orbit. Our 'Mission Approval' process is an interim arrangement that can be implemented quickly enough for our 2017 launch requirements, allowing us to continue to execute on our business plans under U.S. law while ensuring our activities are consistent with U.S. obligations under the Outer Space Treaty," said Moon Express co-founder and CEO Bob Richards.

"Today we initiated the process by submitting our enhanced payload review application to the FAA to secure timely federal approval for the first commercial mission to the Moon in 2017," Richards added.

Richards recently gave a lecture for the SETI Institute, where he outlined MoonEx’s direction and plans for the future. Though these plans may seem lofty right now, they are leading the way for numerous other companies and governments that see our planet as only a small part of humanity’s future sphere of influence.

MoonEx is one of several teams competing in the Google Lunar X-Prize, which is offering large cash prizes for any team who can send a rover to the surface of the Moon.

For more information, visit the MoonEx website.