NewSpace), then the name Masten Space Systems is sure to ring a bell. This consisted of Xoie, the lander concept that won the $1 million Northrop Grumman Lunar X-Prize in 2009, their Xombie and Xodiac multiple-use terrestrial landers, and the in-Flight Alumina Spray Technique (FAST) that would allow lunar landers to create their own landing pads.
Possibly their most significant feat was the Xelene Lunar Lander (XL-1) that they developed in collaboration with the NASA Lunar CATALYST program. This lander was one of several robotic systems enlisted by NASA to deliver cargo to the Moon in support of the Artemis Program.
This news comes as little surprise, given current events. In November 2018, Masten was among nine companies chosen by NASA to deliver payloads to the lunar surface area as part of their Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS). This program awarded agreements of indefinite delivery and indefinite amount with a total worth of $2.6 billion through 2028. In April 2020, NASA awarded Masten a $75.9 million contract to provide 9 scientific payloads utilizing its XL-1 lander. This included the MoonRanger rover and 8 scientific instruments to the Hawthorn Crater at the lunar south pole in 2022.
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This included Xoie, the lander principle that won the $1 million Northrop Grumman Lunar X-Prize in 2009, their Xombie and Xodiac recyclable terrestrial landers, and the in-Flight Alumina Spray Technique (FAST) that would enable lunar landers to create their own landing pads.
Perhaps their biggest accomplishment was the Xelene Lunar Lander (XL-1) that they developed in collaboration with the NASA Lunar CATALYST program. In November 2018, Masten was one of nine business selected by NASA to deliver payloads to the lunar surface as part of their Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS). In April 2020, NASA awarded Masten a $75.9 million agreement to provide 9 scientific payloads utilizing its XL-1 lander. Sean Bedford, the general counsel of Masten Space Systems, went over the filing in a declaration to SpaceNews: “Masten means to use the Chapter 11 process to enhance Mastens expenditures, optimize its operations and perform sale processes that optimize value for its unsecured financial institutions,” he stated.
Mastens XL-1 lunar lander will provide science and innovation payloads to the Moons South Pole in 2022. Credit: Masten Space Systems.
They also show that the largest “unsecured financial institutions” are companies that have likewise contracted with NASA to deliver payloads and freight to the Moon. These consist of SpaceX (whom they owed over $4.6 million) however also includes Psionic LLC ($ 2.78 million), Astrobotic Technology Inc. (~$ 2.7 million), NuSpace (~$ 1.7 million), and Frontier Aerospace Inc. ($ 1.168 million). Whereas Psionic is a designer of navigation systems and software, Astrobotic is another aerospace business that designs lunar lander principles. They are currently contracted with NASA to establish and deploy the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER), which will look for water ice around the southern lunar polar region.
Previously called Keystone (an automotive parts maker), NuSpace was founded in 2019 to provide elements for aerospace missions, while Frontier Aerospace concentrates on propulsion and engine elements. As shown in the filing, Masten is seeking a “stalking horse asset purchase arrangement,” which consists of offering off assets through a bidding procedure. This consists of the launch services they protected with SpaceX, which were offered to another lunar lander company (Intuitive Machines) but will extend to other agreements/assets they had secured prior to applying for Chapter 11.
Theres no indicator at this point if Masten will be dissolved or if it plans to use this filing as an opportunity to relaunch and restructure. NASA has a large array of commercial partners through the CLPS program that can pick up the slack and continue to produce lunar landers that will be launch-ready when the time comes.
Additional Reading: SpaceNews.
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” The $75.9 million award includes end-to-end services for delivery of the instruments, consisting of payload integration, launch from Earth, landing on the Moons surface, and operation for at least 12 days,” stated NASA in journalism declaration it released at the time. “Masten Space Systems will land these payloads on the Moon with its XL-1 lander.” In June 2021, Masten announced that this mission would be delayed until November 2023, pointing out the pandemic and COVID-19 restrictions as the cause. Said business creator Dave Masten in a business statement:
” Weve been adjusting the objective strategy to account for COVID-19 supply chain hold-ups and handle conditions as they evolve, but the overall influence on our timeline reached a point where we need to shift to the next window to go (as you know, theres a restricted ease of access window to the south pole due to the orbit of the Moon).”.
By Spring of 2022, Parabolic Arc began reporting how the business was experiencing managerial shakeups as crucial employees– consisting of CEO Sean Mahoney and Director/Manager Reuben Garcia– revealed their departure. In Between June and July, the company laid off 20 more employees (consisting of 15 engineers dealing with the XL-1 mission) and revealed it was furloughing its employees. At this juncture, it seemed obvious that the pandemic had actually drained pipes Masten financially, to the point that it was on the verge of closing down.
According to the filings made to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (case # 22-10657), Masten has actually stated that they have $10 to $50 million in both liabilities and properties. Sean Bedford, the general counsel of Masten Space Systems, went over the filing in a statement to SpaceNews: “Masten means to use the Chapter 11 procedure to enhance Mastens costs, enhance its operations and conduct sale procedures that optimize worth for its unsecured lenders,” he stated. “We are hopeful that this process will make it possible for Masten to deliver and continue operations value for its consumers and the area industry.”.
