VagaLune SarL
Overview About Google Lunar X Prize About VagaLune SarL Launch/Orbit Rocket Specifications Rocket Launch Orbit Specifications Rover/Lander Moon Rover Lunar Module Landing Specifications Communications Link Budget   >>   Antennae Comm Systems Project Execution Pre-Launch Schedule Launch Day Schedule Post-Launch Schedule Project Management Parts Listing Budget Cash Flow References	Rocket Launch   The Falcon 1e rocket from Space X corp will launch from the Ronald Reagan Test Site (RRTS) in the Marshall islands (N 9.04817° E 167.74308°) at an inclination of 9.1°E toward an approximate Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) of 220km. This will allow VagaLune to send a payload mass, including both the Lunar Module (LM) and enclosed Moon Rover (MR), of about 730kg. (Please see the Falcon 1 Users Guide for more information). This will put us into our Low Energy Transfer Orbit (LETO)* (as opposed to a Hohmann Transfer) that will take the LM on its voyage to the moon. The LETO is beneficial to VagaLune because, although much research states that the Hohmann Transfer is efficient, our Falcon 1e rocket does not have the thrust magnitude to perform this quicker and more direct manoeuver.   From the Space X User's Guide, Fig. 4.8   Edward Belbruno, a former Jet Propulsion Labs (JPL) researcher and a NASA consultant, is known for his advice to the Japanese Space Agency (ISAS) in coordination with J. Miller in getting the Hiten spacecraft to the moon in the early 90's. In the early 2000's, the European Space Agency (ESA) used a similar approach in sending their SMART-1 probe to the moon.