Google says: “Land a probe on the moon, we’ll give you $30 million”

Brian Ambrozy 13 Sep, 2007 at 4:43pm ET Article published in Tech

Okay, it’s really $20 million to the Grand Prize winner. What wins the grand prize?

To win the Grand Prize, a team must successfully soft land a privately funded spacecraft on the Moon, rove on the lunar surface for a minimum of 500 meters, and transmit a specific set of video, images and data back to the Earth. The Grand Prize is $20 million until December 31st 2012; thereafter it will drop to $15 million until December 31st 2014 at which point the competition will be terminated unless extended by Google and the X PRIZE Foundation.

Perhaps Google really DOES want to map the moon. Their corporate mission is to organize the WORLD’S information – they don’t say anything about LUNAR information. Perhaps that’s going to change.

Get building!

Comments

1. 
   13 Sep 2007 ~ 5:08pm Thelemech Headline? "Icrontic Sends Probe To Moon!" .......
2. 
   14 Sep 2007 ~ 4:16am RWB Well.... there are a plethora of super intelligent dudes on this site. Who says we can't send a probe to the moon and claim that prize?
3. 
   14 Sep 2007 ~ 5:52am IndigoRed

   RWB wrote:

   Well.... there are a plethora of super intelligent dudes on this site. Who says we can't send a probe to the moon and claim that prize?

   
   Umm, $$$ maybe?
4. 
   14 Sep 2007 ~ 6:18am RWB

   IndigoRed wrote:

   Umm, $$$ maybe?

   
   pft... investors and paper mache are all we need
5. 
   14 Sep 2007 ~ 2:00pm lemonlime Duct-tape challenge anyone?
6. 
   14 Sep 2007 ~ 2:13pm GHoosdum

   lemonlime wrote:

   Duct-tape challenge anyone?

   
   I'm in! :bigggrin:
7. 
   14 Sep 2007 ~ 2:29pm Shorty Game on. I can do the GUI code. Anyone fancy the the embedded processor code?
   
   We could really rule the world (and be super rich as well)
8. 
   14 Sep 2007 ~ 2:37pm CB I think the tough part of making it out of tape would be the camera lens.
9. 
   14 Sep 2007 ~ 3:19pm NLichtman I'm in! I can do anything you want all you have to do is teach me.
10. 
    14 Sep 2007 ~ 3:27pm Shorty If we build it, it will fly.
11. 
    14 Sep 2007 ~ 8:57pm shwaip

    Shorty wrote:

    Game on. I can do the GUI code. Anyone fancy the the embedded processor code?

    
    I'll handle that.
    
    I mean, we have a rocket scientist here, don't we?
12. 
    15 Sep 2007 ~ 2:50am Shorty Actually we do! Paging missleman
13. 
    24 Sep 2007 ~ 4:22pm drasnor Google employees shouldn't be allowed to participate.
    
    -drasnor