LifeShip | Community Newsletter Apr ’23

Thanks for being part of the LifeShip community. We're preserving the DNA of Earth on the Moon, with a vision to spread life to the stars. It's a community mission for Earth and humanity and you are part of it.

Our first mission to the Moon is planned for launch on May 4th. You'll get an invite as we get closer to join the Community Launch Party. Then, about a month later, you'll get invited to watch it land on the Moon. 

Happy full moon. April's full moon has the nickname Pink Moon for blooming flowers.

Mission One Updates | Launching Soon!

Mission One is a ULA Vulcan rocket, Astrobotic Peregrine lander, and LifeShip is part of the Arch Mission Lunar Library II payload. The Vulcan rocket is on the launch pad and the next major milestone is a Flight Readiness Firing. This "hot firing" includes a full launch preparation with fuel loading, countdown, and brief ignition of the engines. Vulcan uses two Blue Origin-built BE-4 methane/liquid oxygen engines for it’s main stage. This hot fire is the last major test to pass before integrating Astrobotic's Peregrine lander. 

Vulcan tank test (Credit: ULA)

Vulcan's Journey to the Launch Pad (Credit: ULA) 

Vulcan on the launch pad (Credit: ULA)

Vulcan second stage (Source: ULA)

Astrobotic Peregrine lander complete and ready for launch (Credit: Astrobotic)

Mission Two Updates

Mission Two is a Firefly Blue Ghost lander launching to the Moon on a Falcon 9 rocket. This mission is targeting a May 2024 launch. 

Firefly is beginning to integrate some of the payloads. The LifeShip capsule will be one of the last ones on and we are planned for delivery in August.

Firefly Blue Ghost lunar lander prototype. (Credit: Firefly)

Other Space Excitement

SpaceX’s giant Starship rocket is on the launch pad in South Texas. A first orbital launch could happen as soon April 10th. Once fully functional, this will be the first fully reusable orbital rocket. This rocket will likely completely change humanity’s access to space by reducing launch costs and increasing the size of objects that can be sent to space. This rocket will likely enable whole new industries to benefit the Earth from space and pave the way for space hotels, Moon bases, and Mars settlements.

Starship ready for launch! (Credit: SpaceX) 

April 1st Day Post

I posted the following post as an April 1st joke. It really captures the bigger LifeShip vision. 

We aren't there yet but it is fun to imagine this in the future. 

Getting you to a new world someday is part of LifeShip's big vision! Is that 10, 20, 50, or 100 years from now? It is hard to predict with the exponential progress of AI and technology. 

Thanks for following! We're getting excited for launch. And together we are closer to the first off-world DNA seed bank on the Moon. It's a small step in our grand vision to preserve Earth and spread the seeds of life to the stars. 

There is still time to get on Mission Two. You can send DNA, your pet's DNA, ashes, or photos. They make forever memorable gifts.

🌕 SHOP NOW AND GO TO THE MOON 🌕 

Reach for the stars and go get your moonshots! Dream big.

To the Moon!
Ben