Lunar Outpost, a space company based in Golden, hopes to show off its prototype lunar vehicle in the reimagined 2025 Inaugural Parade when it takes over the Capitol One Center in Washington, D.C. Monday.
“I'm sure hoping they find a way to keep us in the parade, I think this would be a phenomenal event to be a part of,” Justin Cyrus, the CEO of Lunar Outpost, said. “And we're stoked they've selected us for it.”
CPR News spoke with Cyrus late last week, as plans for the inaugural parade were in flux.
Earlier this year, Lunar Outpost won a chance to compete to supply NASA with the next generation of lunar rover for future missions to the moon. The company plans to drive a prototype in the parade.
Cyrus said showcasing the advancement of space technology on a stage like the inaugural parade is vital to expand people’s understanding of the current state of space exploration, and get them excited about its potential.
“A lot of people across America kind of know we're going back to the moon now and kind of know what SpaceX is doing with Starship. and Blue Origin with New Glenn. They're starting to get a sense that the space industry is taking off and that something's happening,” Cyrus said. “It's pretty amazing that it is included at the forefront of a new president coming into the office and, frankly, just put in front of the American public.”
53 percent of Americans say they aren’t sure how or what private space industries are doing, according to a Pew Research Study, compared to 47 percent who say they’re decently engaged with space developments.
Both NASA and private space tech companies have had a long-standing tradition of participating in the inaugural parade, using it as a chance to introduce new technology they’ll be incorporating into upcoming missions. Lunar Outpost is continuing that tradition by debuting their drivable lunar terrain vehicle.
“It's going to have a giant robotic arm, hopefully waving the American flag in the back,” Cyrus said. “It should be a fun demonstration of robotics and a cool highlight of some space technology.”
To be selected for the parade, the company applied to an open call for participants, a process that involved explaining their current projects and the prototypes they’re working on. A few days after sending that in, Cyrus got a call that they had been chosen to participate.
“It's an honor. We're excited about it.” Cyrus said.
Lunar Outpost has four upcoming missions to the moon, with its first launching this year on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The company grew out of Colorado’s robust space startup community. It began in 2017 with a distinctly terrestrial focus though; working on atmospheric monitoring, including a project to install air quality censors around the city of Denver.
Projects like that allowed for Lunar Outpost to transition into creating off-world transportation and robotic systems.
“When I go out and talk to people, they're not quite aware of the scale and the magnitude of what is happening in the space industry at this time,” Cyrus said. “So for us to be a part of the inauguration parade and to highlight the importance of advanced technology being utilized to explore other planetary bodies and start developing a sustainable presence on these planetary bodies, it's pretty amazing.”
