Google Lunar X Prize
In September of 2007, Google announced it will sponsor an X Prize Foundation contest to award $20 million to the first non-governmental organization that lands a robot explorer on the moon by the year 2012. Second place and bonus prizes of $5 million each will be awarded as well, extending the competition into 2014.1
Fast Facts
- Sponsored by Google2
- Announced September of 20072
- Teams must be at least 90% privately funded3
- Deadline to register: December 31, 20103
- First team to land on the moon, prior to December 31, 2012, travel 500 meters and send images back will win the $20 million prize1
- If the mission is not completed by 2012, the race continues, but the prize is reduced to $15 million1
- Second team to complete the mission wins $5 million
- Additional $5 million in bonus prizes for additional tasks on the moon1
- Contest ends December 31, 20141
- 12 active teams as of August 2008, plus two who have withdrawn4
- First registered team unveiled its plans in December of 20075
- Last successful manned mission to the moon: Apollo 17, December 14, 19726
Quotes
"Future generations will view the Google Lunar X PRIZE as the turning point of the 21st century, when humanity realized the Moon’s critical role for prosperity and survival in space and on Earth."—Dr. Robert Richards, founder of the International Space University5
"The competition created by this landmark prize could cut the cost of lunar exploration by an order of magnitude. The Google Lunar X Prize will pick up where Apollo 17 left off 35 years ago. This is moon 2.0, with private industry reopening the high frontier and kick-starting the future of lunar exploration."—James Cameron7
"NASA believes that prizes such as this have the potential to fuel the next great leap in commercial space flight... On behalf of NASA, we wish the competitors the best of luck and will be eagerly monitoring the competition's progress!"—Dr. Peter H. Diamandis, NASA Chairman7
Related Pages on Mahalo
X Prize Foundation | Google | Smart Car | Tesla Roadster | Smart Car | Toyota Prius | Toyota Yaris | Nikola Tesla | Hybrid Cars | Mars Rovers | Spaceport America | Virgin Galactic
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