Quote:
quote:Originally posted by KSagal
...Using your numbers, and a cost of $30 mil for each launch...
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100 working rovers on 140 launched is only a pessimistic evaluation
99% of good designed moonrovers (with moon temperature specs) may works well like "perfect" rovers
the two mars rovers was expected to work a few months but they are still alive!
1st generation (image & travel only) moonrovers will be very little and light so can be launched with little and (relatively) low cost rocktets like Pegasus (1000 lbs. payload at 13.5 million per launch)
launch 100+ moonrovers may need only a dozen of mid-rockets with 10-20 rovers per launch
consider that 100 "perfect" NASA moonrovers need over $10 billion, so, all costs of private rovers will be cheaper
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