Masten Space Systems Thread

Maston Space Systems

Masten Space Systems, Founded : 2004

Masten Space Systems is an aerospace company pressing forward in the new space race with a fleet of reusable launch vehicles and landers.

Octorber of 2009 Masten entered their XA-0.1B “Xombie” in the Level 1 part of the Lunar Lander X Prize Challenge taking second place. Later in 2009 Masten used their XA-0.1E “Xoie” demonstrating an average landing accuracy of 19cm, taking first place for the Level 2 of the competition.

XA-0.1E “Xoie”


Source

Masten’s current fleet includes Xodiac and XaeroB

Introducing Xodiac and XaeroB

Masten is one of the companies participating in the Lunar CATALYST
Program

| MSS Site | MSS FaceBook | MSS Twitter | MSS Wiki |

Source

http://masten.aero/

Source

Masten Space Systems - Wikipedia

Source

Lunar Lander Challenge - Wikipedia

Source

http://www.nasa.gov/offices/ipp/innovation_incubator/centennial_challenges/cc_masten_level_1.html

Source

http://www.nasa.gov/offices/ipp/innovation_incubator/centennial_challenges/cc_ll_feature_lvl2.html

Posters note: With companies big companies making headlines on a weekly basis, it’s sometimes easy to forget about the smaller companies in the new space race. So I wanted to take some time to post about these guys and girls who are really working hard at incredible goals. Feel free to post, news, and discuss the topic in these posts.

5 Likes

Cool! I had not seen this before! Thanks for the info!

1 Like

Some how last night this got omitted from the original post. (gotta stop writing these so late at night :smirk:)

Masten’s XA-0.1B “Xombie”

Original Image Source NASA

JPL is using Masten’s XA-0.1B “Xombie” as the ADAPT (Autonomous Descent and Ascent Powered-flight Testbed), the system is testing sensors and algorithms to assist in more accurate landings for future mission landings such as on Mars.

Here’s video of the ADAPT tests:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1DlP71ukTw
More Info On JPL ADAPT

JPL is also testing the Guidance for Fuel-Optimal Large Diverts (G-FOLD) algorithm for unplanned diversions for future missions.

G-FOLD Test Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzHaWc5n70A
More Info on G-FOLD From JPL

2 Likes

I’ll have to watch this video again since I don’t have sound right now but I thought this was pretty cool!

That is very cool!

Masten Space Systems, a private California company focused on developing lunar and planetary landing vehicles, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Thursday after recent layoffs and funding problems.

Damn. Thats a shame.

1 Like

Very much so

Wheels

1 Like