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Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771

Photo of Robert Lindberg

ENGINEERING COLLOQUIUM

Monday, May 15, 2017 / 3:30 PM, Building 8 Auditorium

Robert Lindberg

"Moon Express, Inc."

ABSTRACT -- Moon Express Inc. is a privately funded commercial space company. It will provide lunar transportation and services for government and commercial customers. Moon Express has licensed Launch Complexes 17 and 18 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and is currently investing in the refurbishment of these facilities as its new home. Moon Express is working to become first private company to reach the Moon, beginning an ongoing series of low-cost, frequent lunar access for science, exploration and commerce.

In November 2016, NASA released a call for concepts of Small Lunar Surface Payloads seeking information on the availability of payloads that could be delivered to the Moon in the 2017-2020 timeframe using U.S. commercial lunar cargo transportation service providers. Moon Express responded with its announcement of the Lunar Scout Program, established to assist the lunar science community with up to $1.5M in private matching funding for NASA-selected payloads to fly to the Moon with Moon Express.

Under its Lunar Scout Program, Moon Express will provide up to $500,000 in funding for each instrument selected by NASA to fly aboard the company's first three commercial lunar missions beginning as early as 2017.

SPEAKER -- Dr. Robert (Bob) Lindberg is the vice president of Flight Systems at Moon Express. He is responsible for the company’s relations with Moon Express customers seeking transportation to cislunar space and the lunar surface. He is also responsible for the company’s relations and interfaces with launch providers.

Bob holds a B.S. in Physics (with Distinction) from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, an M.S. in Engineering Physics from the University of Virginia, and a doctorate in Mechanical Engineering from Columbia University. He began his career ant the Naval Research Laboratory, later moving to Orbital Sciences Corporation, where he rose to the rank of Senior Vice President. He helped to found the National Institute of Aerospace (NIA) and served as its first President and Executive Director.

He has published in the fields of aerospace systems design, astrodynamics, controls, robotics and engineering education and has edited two books. He is a Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Fellow and past president of the American Astronautical Society. His honors include the 2011 Engineering Achievement Award from the University of Virginia and the 2003 Egleston Medal from Columbia University. He was appointed to the Science Committee of the NASA Advisory Council in 2015, and has served as chair of its Planetary Protection Subcommittee.

Engineering Colloquium home page: https://ecolloq.gsfc.nasa.gov