Internet search giant Google Inc is collaborating with the X PRIZE Foundation in organizing a contest that will see the winner net a cool $30 million. Private firms are being invited to land a robot rover on the surface of the moon.
"We are confident that teams from around the world will help develop new robotic and virtual presence technology, which will dramatically reduce the cost of space exploration," said a statement issued by Dr Peter Diamandis, chairman of the X-Prize Foundation.
The rovers that take part in the competition must perform certain tasks if they are to be declared winners. Additionally they must also be equipped with high-definition video and still cameras. The rovers landing on the lunar surface must roam for set distances as well as be able to shoot video.
Google and the X-Prize Foundation announced that the aim of the competition was to stimulate private parties to evince interest in lunar exploration missions.
The first prize of $20 million will be given to the private firm that lands a rover on the moon and travels a distance of 500 meters and shoots specific video images. The second firm to accomplish the task will get $5 million.
Google said that an additional $5 million would be awarded if the rover manages to travel further, shoot pictures of Apollo hardware and finds any water or ice on the surface of the moon.
The competition will run till the end of 2012 and if no firm has managed to win it, then the prize will be reduced to $15 million till the end of 2014. After this the competition will lapse, the firms announced.
“By working with the Google team, we look forward to bringing this historic private space race into every home and classroom. We hope to ignite the imagination of children around the world," Diamandis concluded.
