$30 MILLION for Google Lunar X Project

There's a contest going on that could, potentially, carve up the terra firma in a field near you. As part of it's insanely popular Google Earth application, Google now allows you to view, tour and fly around the Moon. For the "so inclined", there's a contest afoot that offers a rather substantial prize and all you have to do is shoot and transmit a couple pictures.



From the Lunar X Project site:


The Google Lunar X PRIZE is a $30 million international competition to safely land a robot on the surface of the Moon, travel 500 meters over the lunar surface, and send images and data back to the Earth. Teams must be at least 90% privately funded and must be registered to compete by December 31, 2010. The first team to land on the Moon and complete the mission objectives will be awarded $20 million; the full first prize is available until December 31, 2012. After that date, the first prize will drop to $15 million. The second team to do so will be awarded $5 million. Another $5 million will awarded in bonus prizes. The final deadline for winning the prize is December 31, 2014.



There were 21 teams (2 have dropped out) vying for the $20 million first prize. Registration happens with only a few clicks and you can throw your name in the hat HERE. Among the teams remaining are official sounding names like "EuroLuna", "Odyssey Moon" and "LunaTrex". The logos and artwork are, for lack of a better term, sterile and resemble exisiting NASA branding. I believe an opportunity exists.



I'm looking for volunteers to join the ACME ROCKET COMPANY entrance into the Lunar X contest. To the right, you'll see a detailed drawing of the original ACME rocket based on the inner machinations of one Wile E. Coyote. Though his travels to the moon are few...his experience with munitions and rocket travel are legendary.

While on the moon...we'll continue the search for Alludium Phosdex...the Shaving Cream Atom.

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Enjoy.


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