SpaceDev is offering commercial missions for small scientific and other types of payload to the moon and Mars for a fixed price of $20 million and $24 million, respectively. The company plans to offer the commercial Mars mission for launch in 2003.
Meanwhile, Space Dev is continuing with plans to develop and launch the Near Earth Asteroid Prospector, which has evolved into a microspacecraft known as MicroNEAP. The craft is scheduled for a launch in late 2001 to reach the asteroid Nereus in mid-2002.
SpaceDev has also been awarded a contract to design small kick-stage motors for microsatellite applications for the US Air Force under a nine-month $688,800 contract.
SpaceDev's Integrated Space Systems (ISS) subsidiary will study various designs for a Secondary Payload Orbital Transfer Vehicle (SPOTV) using hybrid rocket technology acquired last year from the defunct American Rocket Company (Amroc). ISS says the SPOTV would boost small secondary payloads from their drop-off orbits to more desirable orbits.
The company is also producing a platform bus for an Australian microsatellite, FedSat.
Source: Flight International
