Design and licensing of the 2001 TrailBlazer_TM lunar satellite is proceeding on schedule. Three U.S. federal agencies must extend licenses or permits for this mission: The Federal Communications Commission, for the radio communications; The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), for imagery of Earth from a spacecraft; and the State Department, for export of items covered under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). (This last license essentially covers anything having to do with spacecraft). At present, the FCC and NOAA applications are being prepared, the ITAR application has been submitted and is in evaluation. The architectural design of the spacecraft is complete, and mechanical design is almost complete for the structure. Vendors have been identified for most major systems and progress is being made on obtaining quotations for all components.

Established in 1998, TransOrbital, Inc. ( http://www.transorbital.net) intends to win the new "Race to the Moon" by being the first company to orbit the Moon with a completely commercial spacecraft, 2001 TrailBlazer. The spacecraft's prime mission is to return HDTV video and other multi-media content from lunar orbit to market as commercial products. The spacecraft will also deliver a time capsule to the moon, carrying small cargo items such as personal memorabilia and business cards.

The 2001 TrailBlazer_TM Project is a for-profit space venture.  

"We want to do for the Moon what Jacques Cousteau did for marine exploration- to go, look, sell the images and repeat it again and again."

Point of Contact:
TransOrbital may be reached at:
Tel: 858-455-5900 or 703-960-5953
Fax: 858-455-5979 or 603-619-5538
E-mail: at dlaurie@transorbital.net.
Further information may be found at the TransOrbital website http://www.transorbital.net. 

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