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Lunar Transportation Systems- A New Private Commercial Space Venture

LTS' Propellant Transporters (pictured) are brought from the Earth to LEO on ELV's. Propellant Transporters bring propellant tank sets beyond Earth orbit to any location where Lunar Landers require refueling in cislunar space. They can travel to MEO, L1, and/or lunar orbit to provide refueling stations for the Lunar Landers.

Propellant Transporters are nearly identical to Lunar Landers but have no landing legs since they are not designed to land on the Moon. Propellant Transporters have a single rocket engine, ACS thrusters, a fuel cell power source, computers, an inertial guidance system, and an autonomous rendezvous and docking system. Propellant Transporters are reusable and form the backbone of this Earth-Moon transportation system. More info on LTS' spacecraft


Bellevue WA (SPX) Feb 02, 2005
Walter Kistler and Bob Citron formed Lunar Transportation Systems early last year in response to the President's new Vision for Space Exploration. LTS's goal is to raise major financing from the private sector to develop, build, ground test, flight test, and operate a new Earth-Moon transportation system.

Initially, the government would be an important customer, and eventually, LTS would serve new lunar commercial markets.

The two entrepreneurs have a long history of stimulating new space market activities using private investment. Kistler founded Kistler Instruments AG and was the first investor in Spacehab, and co-founded Kistler Aerospace Corporation with Bob Citron, who also founded Spacehab.

LTS goals also fit nicely with the new White House Space Transportation Policy, which recognizes the need for commercial systems, particularly for launch and exploration. The new policy echoes the President's vision and encourages the government to facilitate commercial space activities.

"Our new LTS lunar architecture enables NASA to meet the near-term strategic objectives spearheaded by President Bush in the Vision for Space Exploration a year ago, as well as recommendations presented by the Aldridge Commission on how to implement that Vision," said Bob Citron, CEO of LTS.

"We are thrilled to see the new White House Space Transportation Policy further support commercial activities, just like what we are proposing."

Walter Kistler, who conceived the LTS Earth-Moon transportation system, said, "The Vision for Space Exploration calls for a greater role of the private sector in space exploration. Bob Citron and I firmly believe that entrepreneurial companies can bring new perspectives to the Vision, building opportunities for a strong future for space exploration."

Lunar Transportation Systems has launched a website to introduce its innovative concept to create the equivalent of a two-way highway to the Moon as part of NASA's new space exploration plans.

The website contains a lot of detail about their plans, including descriptions and artwork of LTS spacecraft, lunar architecture, mission profiles, trade studies in progress, as well as photo and video galleries.

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Successful First Test For Vega's Zefiro 9 Engine
Paris, France(ESA) Dec 28, 2005
Flames, smoke and a deafening noise accompanied the first firing test of Vega's Zefiro 9 third-stage solid rocket motor. A first examination of the data indicates that everything went well at the test carried out yesterday at Salto de Quirra in southeast Sardinia.







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