Google sponsors an exciting challenge to reconquer the Moon and bring interesting data from there. "Private companies from around the world will compete to land a privately funded robotic rover on the Moon that is capable of completing several mission objectives, including roaming the lunar surface for at least 500 meters and sending video, images and data back to the Earth." The prize is $30 million and the intention is to revive the interest for exploring the Moon.
"The Moon is a stepping stone to the rest of the solar system and a source of solutions to some of the most pressing environmental problems that we face on Earth – energy independence and climate change. Already, governments from around the world recognize the importance of lunar exploration, and national space agencies from the United States, Russia, China, India, Japan, and the nations of Europe plan to send probes to the Moon in the coming decade."
Google teamed up with the X PRIZE Foundation, well-known for the Ansari X PRIZE, a competition that offered $10 million to "the first non-government organization to launch a reusable manned spacecraft into space twice within two weeks". Google bought a replica of the SpaceShipOne, the winner of the Ansari X PRIZE, and installed it inside Building 43 at Googleplex.
In other news, Google Moon received an update and now includes "high-resolution immersive panoramas from every Apollo landing site (available in context for the first time), historic audio clips, re-projected high-resolution charts, surface imagery, and elevation data from the Clementine and Apollo missions". There's also a new Google site that showcases other space-related Google projects.
More at:
Google's Official Blog
Google LatLong Blog
Saw this on the google blog. Neat stuff. Google well Google is an amazing company. I really don't know what else to say.
ReplyDeleteI find things like this very exciting, but how does one get involved with an organization building a lunar lander? Where can i find information on groups -actually- building one of these?
ReplyDeleteI want to HEAR what it sounds like on the moon! Tell the scientist eggheads to bring a recording device, and to not only record any wind, or dust or whatever on the moon... But to play some Chuck Berry! So we can hear what MP3s sound like on the moon! :)
ReplyDeleteNothing is impossible. Google proves it already.... And they are going to prove it again. I love these self believe in this Organization. They have the power whatever they want to do...
ReplyDeleteThe YouTube video is marked as private, so it's not possible to view it :-(
ReplyDeleteInteresting race.
ReplyDeleteAll the best for $30m.
It will cost $300 million to win $30 million.
ReplyDelete.
ReplyDeleteHey Google, the Moonrovers Prize was MY idea!!!
http://www.ghostnasa.com/posts/008moonprize.html
the article includes the email that shows the truth
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http://www.orkut.com/CommMsgs.aspx?cmm=30031482&tid=2557938341648955665&na=4
ReplyDeletewe plan to build a team.
http://www.orkut.com/CommMsgs.aspx?cmm=30031482&tid=2557938341648955665&na=4
ReplyDelete