First team to announce for Google’s moon prize bolsters its leading position in the worldwide competition

A distinguished leader of planetary exploration is joining the Astrobotic Technology team to accelerate its pursuit of the $30 million Google Lunar X Prize, the company announced today.

Tony Spear, who led the NASA-funded Pathfinder project that landed a robot on Mars in July 1997, has been appointed Program Manager for Astrobotic’s Tranquility Trek(TM) project. The Astrobotic Tranquility Trek scheduled for July, 2009 will send a robotic rover back to the historic Apollo 11 site for the first look in 40 years — this time with high-definition video.

“Tony Spear’s success with Mars Pathfinder is still the best example of a quick, efficient, and low-cost planetary mission ever attempted,” said Mitchell London, Astrobotic Technology CEO. “In the 1990s, Tony’s disruptively unbureaucratic approach was a cornerstone of NASA’s Faster Better Cheaper initiative. Tony’s highly efficient mode of operation is key to our team winning the Google prize.”

Mr. Spear’s career began at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) shortly after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University in 1962. He participated in the design and development of Venus and Mars orbiters. Mr. Spear later helped design the communications system that linked the 1976 Mars Viking lander with its orbiter, and he also managed development of the first Synthetic Aperture Imaging Radar to fly in space in 1978. Mr. Spear holds a B.S. degree in electrical engineering from Carnegie Mellon and an M.S. degree in electrical engineering from the University of Southern California.

The Tranquility Trek will field a multi-camera robot now under development by Dr. William “Red” Whittaker of Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. Dr. Whittaker was first to announce plans to seek the Google Lunar X Prize when the contest was revealed. Last fall, his Carnegie Mellon team won the $2 million Urban Challenge race for robotically driven vehicles with a Chevy Tahoe upgraded with custom software and sensors.

A long-time resident of Pasadena, California, Mr. Spear now plans to make Pittsburgh his second home. “We are delighted to welcome Tony back to our Pittsburgh campus,” said Prof. Whittaker. “Tony is an extraordinarily distinguished Carnegie Mellon University alum. His interaction with our engineering students will be invaluable.”

Astrobotic Technology, Inc. (http://www.astrobotictech.com), headquartered in Redmond, Washington is a privately held seed-stage company formed by Carnegie Mellon University professor William “Red” Whittaker and his colleagues in November, 2007.

* “Tranquility Trek” is a trademark of Astrobotic Technology, Inc.

Media Contact: Mitchell London
President and CEO
(425) 462-7428
ceo@astrobotictech.com

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