Interview with Plan B

Alex Ivanov and Alex Dobrianski of Plan B

"Dreams, only dreams, and nothing more than dreams brought me to the competition," explains Alex Dobrianski of Google Lunar XPRIZE team, Plan B. "Everybody has different tricks up their sleeves. I have two – a design book from [rocket scientist] Boris Chertok, and knowledge of how to apply the software to old ideas."

Privately funded by Adobri Solutions Ltd, the Vancouver-based team is using existing technologies in software, microprocessors, communication, guidance and robotic systems to produce small weight vehicle capable of traveling to and transmitting data to and from the moon's surface. They also intend to deliver a hockey puck to the Moon, in a symbolic face-off. 

Plan B's rover

Plan B exhibits a blend of whimsy, practicality, and generosity. They explain, "[S]oftware today is [the main] part of any invention. [A]ll development in our team is free to share, to remix, to use commercially." Plan B also provides regular video updates of their progress.

Below, Plan B answers questions from Erin Langley's article, The Google Lunar XPRIZE, and Offerings for the Moon, which encourages respect and sustainability in space exploration and entrepreneurship.

1. How would you like to show respect for the Moon in a way that gives, rather than takes?

The attitude control of the craft will have a hockey puck embedded, and the landing will be a symbolic face-off, in respect to the idea that a flying hockey puck is complimentary to the ice.

2. If you could bring an offering to the Moon from your culture, what would you choose, and how would you deliver it?

On the wheels of our rover, there are 32 surfaces; on each can be printed a message. Anybody can deliver his/her message with any offering from any culture to the Moon. The warranty time for the message to stay on the lunar surface (to take into an account the modern state of a space exploration) - one million years. (18 surfaces already reserved for names.)

3. How can you build respect for the Moon into your design?

By offering rare element (for the Moon) - carbon. Why did the Earth capitalize on carbon? And the Moon is safer without it. Needs to share!

4. a) How do you propose, theoretically or actually, to retrieve your craft after it has fulfilled its purpose? b) How can we reduce our impact on current and future space expeditions?

Rover will be made from carbon fiber.
(a) Evaporating the craft/rover into vacuum of space will be done by a cycled metallurgical process.

(b) Building the permanent, compact, fully robotic base on the Lunar surface to manufacture any space-required equipment for a humankind.

5. How can you show respect for the Moon another way, here on Earth or out in space?

On each full moon, the space currency, Lunaro Sterling, will be half price.