Moon Express is 'Go' for commercial lunar mission

According to the FAA, Moon Express’s MX-1E spacecraft is capable of transfer from Earth orbit to the Moon, making a soft landing on the lunar surface, and performing post-landing relocations through propulsive “hops.” The lander, which is yet to be completed, will travel on a rocket developed by start-up Rocket Lab, which to date has not launched any commercial missions. Once on the surface, the lander will beam pictures back to Earth, as well as carry out scientific experiments.

The mission will be the first time a private enterprise has been given approval to operate beyond Earth’s orbit, and could be a watershed in international attitudes to commercial space exploration. China was the most recent visitor to the Moon, when in 2013 it landed a rover on the surface as part of its Chang'e-3 mission.

“The Moon Express 2017 mission approval is a landmark decision by the US government and a pathfinder for private sector commercial missions beyond the Earth’s orbit,” said Moon Express co-founder & CEO, Bob Richards.