Stardate 97278.25 - Someone once said that water is the oil of space, so this last month we have been prospectors! There are several valuable natural resources we are seeking on the Moon, but the most important one by far is water. If we can locate sizable deposits of lunar ice, we will not only be able to have a source of water, we will have a source for the building blocks of rocket fuel. By separating the water into oxygen and hydrogen we will be able to produce fuel. 

This is one of the important parts of our mission here at New Huntsville. Producing fuel in space means rockets from Earth only need to carry enough fuel to escape Earth’s gravity. Once in space, these rockets could refuel and travel deeper into our solar system. It takes enormous amounts of fuel to leave the Earth, so being able to refuel outside the gravitational field is a huge game-changer in deep space exploration.

Having the solar array up and running is allowing us to keep our batteries charged, and our rovers exploring. To maximize our ability to explore, the crew pilots a remote rover craft (RRC). These RRCs have long-range telemetry and they are piloted via an FPV style setup. The boom-mounted camera is controlled by a gyroscope in the headset (sound familiar, doesn’t it ???), allowing the pilot to look around as they explore. This is one of the most coveted duties in New Huntsville and another reason why I decided to start the FPVCrate. The more our crew is comfortable with piloting by FPV, the more efficiently we can explore the Moon. 

Some of the crew want to take it a step further by building a vector-thrust craft for exploring the Moon in a more “drone-centric” style. I am amazed by their progress, they really want to “fly” the Moon. That’s what we used to call POWAH!!!

Speaking of POWAH, this month’s crate features some choice gear and something that is crucial to performance - control! 

• Diatone Black Mamba F40 40A 4 in 1 ESC
• It has been said that power is nothing without control, and nothing can be more true with multirotors. This Black Mamba Electronic Speed Control (ESC) is what delivers the power from the battery to the motors. The flight controller gives the command, and the ESC supplies the proper amount of power to the motors to achieve the desired stick command. Even a mighty Saturn rocket needs control systems for its rockets, and a drone is no different. This ESC is a 4-in-1 configuration, meaning that you can mount the ESC centrally under the flight controller as opposed to mounting individual ESCs on the arms by the motors. This helps to protect this beast as it delivers up to 40 amps of Moon-shaking power! 
• FPVCrate Edition "FPVCrater" T-Shirt 
• What makes your FPVCrate hat look even sweeter? Having an FPVCrate T-shirt to go with it! Made to keep the crew comfortable as they are relaxing, I expect to see them sporting these all around New Huntsville. In respect of the efforts of the crew to develop a thrust vector lunar drone, I had one of our artists draw a little rendition of what the finished product looks like, being piloted by yours truly!
• Mamba Flash Bang LED Board SW401 Power
• Want to Light up the Rec Dome? Then these Mamba Flash Bangs are for you! LED lights are a great way to customize your quad, and they make it really easy for people watching line of sight to identify you. These lights also have the ability to connect to your flight controller, giving you the ability to control the color of each LED independently for even cooler light shows. These are brighter than a rocket and cooler than lunar ice!
• Ummagrip Lite FPVCrate Special Edition 
• One of Earth’s most famous pilots is Tommy “Ummagawd” Tibajia. He is not only a first-rate pilot he is also a designer of various FPV related products. One of those products is a battery grip pad made of a material he calls Ummagrip. This stuff holds your battery tighter than the restraint system in the space shuttle! It is so powerfully sticky that you could almost fly without a battery strap...almost! But don’t worry, Tommy has you covered in the strap department….. 
• Ummagawd Battery Strap (2Pack 220mm & 250mm) 
• Made as a great companion to the Ummagrip, these Ummagawd battery straps are perfect for keeping your “fuel tank on your rocket”! Long enough to work with different sized batteries, these straps are tough, come with unbreakable metal buckles, and are plastered with the Ummagawd logo. What better way to fly with style?
• Lumenier 5x5x3 ButterCutter Propeller (3 Sets)
• Props are like rocket fuel, you can never have enough. These ButterCutters from Lumenier are tough as an asteroid and give you the control you need to tame the power of your quad. Lumenier has put a lot of thought into the design of these props, almost as much as went into New Huntsville! From materials to airfoil design, every aspect of these props has been well designed. You will like them so much that we added three sets to this Crate.
• FPVCrate September Sticker Sheet 
• Need a couple more pieces to complete the sticker-bombing of your locker? This Crate has you covered (just like your locker!) with a resupply of choice stickers for embellishing your quarters, your friend’s quarters, even the Bunkhouse walls! Who knows, we might even have a contest to see who can tag the most people without them knowing...
• GetFPV FatShark/Orqa Discount Coupon Card
• If you can’t see, you can’t fly! GetFPV wants to help by giving you a hefty discount on a FatShark or Orqa goggles if you act soon. Getting a great set of goggles couldn’t be easier. Now is the time to upgrade. These goggles could help you see all the way to the dark side of the Moon, and if you are flying that far away you want goggles you KNOW will get you home!
• GetfPV DJI Discount Coupon Card 
• Have you seen the new products from DJI? If you are like most of the crew, you are dreaming of going digital with DJI, and this coupon makes it a little easier on your wallet! Change how you see FPV forever, try DJI.
• Ummagawd Discount Coupon Card 
• Rumor has it that Ummagawd has some big things coming up this year, and he wants to make it easier for you to “Go ‘Brat”! This discount card will be good until the end of this year, so get ready to fill your order with some choice Ummagawd gear. 

We are still working hard on getting the Rec Dome finished, this month’s lunar exploration took away from our build time but it was highly necessary. I know there are several members of the crew who have been sneaking into the Mess Hall at night to get in a few packs and I can’t blame them - I am itching to fly as much as they are. Maybe I will take a stroll down there this evening and get in a little stick time…

This is Bill D. Crater, signing off.