Contents.Overview Masten Space Systems is a based rocket company that is currently developing a line of reusable VTVL spacecraft, and related rocket propulsion hardware.Masten Space Systems competed in the NASA and Northrop Grumman X Prize in 2009, winning the level one second prize of US$150,000 and the level two first prize of US$1,000,000. On 2 November 2009, it was announced that Masten Space Systems had won first place in the level two category, with coming in second.Masten Space Systems was selected for the initiative of the on 30 April 2014.A contract was awarded by on 29 November 2018 for lunar missions using the XL-1 lander.

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Xombie Masten's Xombie (model XA-0.1B) won the 150,000 second prize in the Level One competition of the on 7 October 2009 with an average landing accuracy of 16 centimetres (6.3 in).The primary goal of these two airframes was to demonstrate stable, controlled flight using a system developed in-house at Masten. XA-0.1B originally featured four engines with 1,000 pounds-force (4 kN) thrust, but was converted in Spring 2009 to be powered by one engine of 750 pounds-force (3 kN) thrust. By October 2009, the regeneratively cooled and was running at around 900 pounds-force (4 kN).XA-0.1B, nicknamed 'Xombie', first flew free of tether 19 September 2009, and qualified for the Level One second prize of $150,000 on 7 October 2009.In October 2016, NASA reported using Xombie to test the Landing Vision System (LVS), as part of the Autonomous Descent and Ascent Powered-flight Testbed (ADAPT) experimental technologies, for the mission landing.As of 7 March 2017, Xombie has flown 224 times. Xoie Masten's Xoie (model XA-0.1E) won the 1,000,000 Level Two prize of the on October 30, 2009. They beat by just a bit more than 24 inches (610 mm) of total landing accuracy, with an average accuracy of about 7.5 inches (190 mm) on the two landings in the round-trip competition flight.Xoie has an aluminum frame and features a version of Masten's 750 pounds-force (3 kN) thrust engine that produces around 1,000 pounds-force (4 kN) of thrust.

'Xoie', as the craft is nicknamed, qualified for the Lunar Lander Challenge level two on October 30, 2009. Xaero The Xaero reusable launch vehicle is a vertical-takeoff, vertical-landing (VTVL) rocket which is being developed by Masten in 2010–2011. It has been proposed to NASA as a potential reusable launch vehicle (sRLV) for carrying research payloads under NASA's Flight Opportunities Program (initially known as the Commercial Reusable Suborbital Research/CRuSR program), projecting 30 kilometres (19 mi) altitude in initial flights of five to six minutes duration, while carrying a 10 kilograms (22 lb) research payload. It is propelled by the 1,150 pounds-force (5.1 kN) Cyclops-AL-3 burning and.The first Xaero test vehicle flew 110 test flights before being destroyed in its 111th flight. During the record-setting flight on 11 September 2012, an engine valve stuck open during descent, was sensed by the control system. As designed, the was triggered, destroying the vehicle before it could create a range safety problem.

The final test flight was intended to test the vehicle at higher wind loads and altitudes, flying to an altitude of one kilometer while testing the flight controls at the higher ascent and descent velocities before returning to a precise landing point. The ascent and initial portion of the descent was nominal, prior to the stuck throttle valve which resulted in the termination of the flight prior to the planned precision landing. Xaero-B A follow up to Xaero with the ability to reach 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) altitude with engine on throughout. Xaero-B is between 15 and 16 feet tall where Xaero was 12 feet tall. Xaero-B is proceeding through hot-fire testing.

It will be used for the bulk of research flights up to initial altitudes between 20 kilometres (12 mi) to 30 kilometres (19 mi). The vehicle has now been retired due to damage on a test flight in April 2017. It flew 75 times. Xodiac The Xodiac is a VTVL rocket introduced in 2016. It features pressure-fed / propellant, and a regeneratively cooled engine.

Flights can simulate landing on the Moon or Mars. Video of Xodiac performing in-flight air flow tests Tuft strings. Xeus Xeus (pronounced Zeus) is a vertical-landing, vertical-takeoff lunar lander demonstrator.

Xeus consists of a upper stage (from ) with main engine to which four Katana vertical thrusters have been added. Production Xeus is estimated to be able to land on the Moon with up to 14 tonnes (revised to 10 tonnes) payload when using the expendable version or 5 tonnes payload when using the reusable version.The damaged Centaur on the demonstrator Xeus limits it to Earth flights. The production versions would have to be manufacturing fault free and certified for space operations.

Human rating may also be needed., supplier of the Centaur, refer to Xeus as an abbreviation for eXperimental Enhanced Upper Stage. Further details of the proposed design are given in the paper 'Experimental Enhanced Upper Stage (XEUS): An affordable large lander system'.Each of the Katanas used on a Xeus lander are likely to produce 3,500 pounds-force (16 kN) when performing a horizontal touchdown. In December 2012, Masten demonstrated their all-aluminum 2,800 pounds-force (12 kN) regeneratively-cooled engine, the KA6A.The talk in this video announced the Xeus also shows NASA's rover with its two astronauts as a possible payload for the XEUS.On 30 April 2014, the announced that Masten Space Systems was one of the three companies selected for the initiative.

NASA signed an unfunded Space Act Agreement (SAA) with Masten in September 2014. The SAA lasts until August 2017, has 22 milestone and calls for 'End-to-end demonstration of hardware and software that enables a commercial lander on the Moon.' In December 2015, (ULA) were planning to upgrade the XEUS's main body from a Centaur Upper Stage to the (ACES) which they are currently developing, significantly increasing the payload. Masten Space intend to incorporate experience from developing the XL family of cargo landers into the XEUS family of landers.In August 2016, ULA's President and CEO said ULA intend to both the Vulcan and ACES.XEUS was cancelled in July 2018.

See also: XL-1 The XL-1 is a small cargo lunar lander that Masten is developing as part of the program (SAAM ID 18250). When powered by MXP-351 the XL-1 is designed to land 100 kilograms (220 lb) payloads onto the surface of the Moon.As of August 2017, Masten Space expects the XL-1 to have 4 main engines which are being prototyped on the XL-1T and a wet mass of about 2,400 kilograms (5,300 lb).On 11 October 2016, Masten Space Tweeted a video showing the test firing of its new bi-propellant combination, internally called MXP-351. The test used an existing engine with an experimental injector, the first 'Machete', producing 225 pounds-force (1.00 kN) thrust. Development of their 3D printed regen lunar engine that will use MXP-351 to land on the Moon continues. As of March 2017, a 1,000 pounds-force (4.4 kN) thrust version of Machete for the terrestrial testbed of the lander, dubbed XL-1T, is being manufactured.In October 2017, the NASA extended the agreement for 2 years.On 29 November 2018, Masten was eligible to bid at a (CLPS) contract.

The landing will be no earlier than 2021.On 8 April 2020, the NASA has selected Masten Space Systems of Mojave, California, to deliver and operate eight payloads – with nine science and technology instruments – to the South Pole of the Moon in 2022, to help lay the foundation for human expeditions to the lunar surface beginning in 2024. The payloads, which include instruments to assess the composition of the lunar surface, test precision landing technologies, and evaluate the radiation on the Moon, are being delivered under NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative as part of the agency's. The US$75.9 million award includes end-to-end services for delivery of the instruments, including payload integration, launch from Earth, landing on the surface of the Moon, and operation for at least 12 days.

Masten Space Systems will land these payloads on the Moon with its XL-1 lander. The payloads that will be delivered have been developed predominantly from the two recent NASA Provided Lunar Payloads (NPLP) and Lunar Surface Instrument and Technology Payloads (LSITP) solicitations.

XL-1T The XT-1T is a (T)errestrial technology and process demonstrator for the XL-1 and XEUS. A terrestrial flying test-bed is being used since lack of vehicle access to lunar landers after launch would make Masten's incremental design and test development methodology difficult and very expensive. Like the XL-1, the XL-1T is under development in partnership with NASA CATALYST (SAAM ID 18250).The XL-1T is expected to have a dry mass of 588.93 kg and a wet mass of 1270.68 kg which is less than the XL-1. The vehicle has 4 off Machete 4400 N main engines able to throttle between 25% and 100% (4:1).

The propellant is MPX-351. Yaw and pitch are controlled by differential throttling. There are 4 off 22 N ACS thrusters to control roll.Many characteristics of the XL-1T have been deliberately made similar to the XL-1. These include multi-engine architecture, avionics, software, fuel, movement of inertia, slosh management, and mission design tools. XS-1 Masten has been awarded a US$3 million contract from to develop the experimental spaceplane. Project ended as DARPA awarded the Phase 2 to Boeing. Other products and services In addition to its line of vehicles, Masten Space Systems is currently offering its internally developed igniters and engines commercially to interested and qualified parties.

Masten also has stated its intent at multiple conferences to participate in technology maturation and proof of concept projects.Broadsword Broadsword. October 8, 2009. ^. Centennial Challenges: NASA's Prize Program for the 'Citizen Inventor'.

Retrieved 2011-03-10. In the Level One competition, Armadillo Aerospace previously claimed the first-place prize of $350,000 in 2008.

Masten Space Systems qualified for the remaining second-place prize on 7 October 2009, with an average landing accuracy of 16 cm. There were no other qualifying Level One flight this year and so the Masten team will receive the second-place prize of $150,000. October 30, 2009. ^. Centennial Challenges: NASA's Prize Program for the 'Citizen Inventor'.

Retrieved 2011-03-10. With only a few days remaining in the 2009 competition period, Masten Space Systems of Mojave, California successfully met the Level Two requirements for the Centennial Challenges - Lunar Lander Challenge and by posting the best average landing accuracy, won the first-place prize of $1,000,000. The flights were conducted with their 'Xoie' (XA-0.1E) vehicle on October 30 at the Mojave Air and Space Port. Armadillo Aerospace, the long-time leader in Lunar Lander Challenge efforts, was the first team to qualify for the Level Two prize with successful flights on Sept. 12 in Caddo Mills, Texas. The average landing accuracy determines which teams will receive first and second place prizes.

The average accuracy for Armadillo Aerospace flights was 87 cm. But the Masten team achieved an accuracy of 19 cm, moving them into first place. Armadillo Aerospace will receive the $500,000 second-place prize. (Press release). Retrieved 2009-11-02. (Press release). Archived from on 2010-06-12.

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Paur, Jason (2009-11-04). Retrieved 2011-03-10. Leaving it to the last minute, the team from Masten Space Systems has made a come-from-behind effort to win the $1 million prize after successfully flying its lunar lander last week. The team flew a new ship, called Xoie, to qualify for level 2 of the Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge more than 1000 pounds of thrust managed to make the round trip with an average landing accuracy of about 7.5 inches. October 30, 2009.

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Retrieved October 11, 2016.External links External images. – Company homepage.

– Company video at YouTube. Covers XL-1, XL-1T and XEUS.