Wanna Win $30 Million?

Then just send a robot probe to the moon by 2012. Today, the X-Prize Foundation announced the Google Prize for a robot race to the moon. The AP reports:

Google Inc. is bankrolling a $30 million spaceflight contest for private companies to safely land a robotic rover on the moon and beam back a gigabyte of images and video to Earth, the Internet search leader said Thursday.

The grand prize could be worth up to $25 million.

If the competition produces a winner, it would prove a major boon to the emerging private spaceflight industry and mark the first time that a nongovernment entity has flown a lunar space probe.

One word: Cool.

Whole AP story here. 

Comments

Pro Libertate | September 13, 2007, 5:32pm | #

Excellent. My step-son is planning to build a railgun for his science class. With a few modifications. . . .

I think we're really on the verge of a breakthrough in the private space efforts. It'll take some doing, but the magic moment will come when someone figures out a (relatively) low-cost method to orbit. Once that happens, the solar system will be open to all sorts of fun.

J sub D | September 13, 2007, 5:32pm | #

One word: Cool.

Ten words: But there is really nothing there worth going to visit.

Pro Libertate | September 13, 2007, 5:37pm | #

J sub D,

Fine. No invitation to my Martian resort for you.

J sub D | September 13, 2007, 5:39pm | #

I was going to be really cynical about this, then I recalled than Lindbergh claimed a prize (25K) for crossing the Atlantic. So I'll just have to wait for something else deserving of my cynicism. The waiting is the hardest part.

J sub D | September 13, 2007, 5:40pm | #

Pro Liberate, was that apology acceptable. Posts passing in the tubes.

Tom Petty | September 13, 2007, 5:42pm | #

I'm learnin' to fly,
But I ain't got wings.
Comin' down,
Is the hardest thing.

Pro Libertate | September 13, 2007, 5:43pm | #

Sure, buddy, you're welcome at the Marsderosa any ol' time.

M | September 13, 2007, 5:52pm | #

Surely some guard at some border to some layer of the atmospehere will stop you, either on the way out or on the way back.

J sub D | September 13, 2007, 5:55pm | #

Surely some guard at some border to some layer of the atmospehere will stop you, either on the way out or on the way back.

With the feds difficulties in issuing passports, no doubt trouble will ensue.

Taktix® | September 13, 2007, 6:00pm | #

Surely some guard at some border to some layer of the atmospehere will stop you, either on the way out or on the way back.

Yeah, because they're doing a bang-up job stopping border crossings when there's only two dimensions...

J sub D | September 13, 2007, 6:05pm | #

Yeah, because they're doing a bang-up job stopping border crossings when there's only two dimensions...

When you factor in the tunnels, it's really three. :-)

mediageek | September 13, 2007, 8:21pm | #

Sure, buddy, you're welcome at the Marsderosa any ol' time.

Fire up the bbq for a bugalo!

Shawn Smith | September 13, 2007, 8:55pm | #

The lunar poles seem like a good place to put some large telescopes. Inside a crater would provide protection from the sun and a very stable platform. Perhaps they could be powered with photo voltaic panels around the outside of the crater. However, I don't expect something like that to happen in the next forty years.

shecky | September 13, 2007, 9:07pm | #

The winner will get to sell the whole shebang to the government so we can all pay for another moonrock expedition.

Pro Libertate | September 13, 2007, 9:28pm | #

I solved this problem some time ago. Take Salma Hayek or her functional equivalent. Send her to the Moon. Provide her with shelter and supplies sufficient to keep her there for two years. Tell all of the geeky and sexually deprived scientists and engineers out there that whoever can go there and bring her back can have sexual relations with her.

We'd have warp drive in a decade under this plan, let alone cheap access to orbit.

Ruthless | September 13, 2007, 9:41pm | #

Some years back, esteemed daughter created an editorial cartoon on something closely related to this subject.
I've asked her to scan it so I (she) can post it here.
Stay tuned?

Pro Libertate | September 13, 2007, 9:43pm | #

Really? There's nothing new under the sun. Very well, I'll split the $30 million.

SIV | September 13, 2007, 10:23pm | #

Some years back, esteemed daughter created an editorial cartoon on something closely related to this subject.
I've asked her to scan it so I (she) can post it here.
Stay tuned?

Ruthless:

Hey! This isn't your refrigerator!

Leif | September 14, 2007, 8:38am | #

Cool I guess. But why? If there is a reason to start putting stuff on the moon (or if we're hit by a sudden rock shortage) then there will be plenty of capital shored up to throw at the problem, no prize incentives needed. I've truly wracked my brain and the only reasons I can come up with for doing this now are academic and not at all worth the tens of millions (at least) def. needed to get just a glorified cameraphone up there. I mean, these private space companies are 90% funded by silicon valley zillionaires- basically hobbyists with a generous budget. Nothing wrong with that, but you're crazy if you think any of these companies/pseudofoundations are going kick start a private space race. There will be plenty of money for this in the coming decades, but not now. Costs need to come way down first (because I don't think the incentives are going to change anytime soon).

On a semi-related note those interested in spaceflight should read this:

http://www.antipope.org/charlie/blog-static/2007/06/the_high_frontier_redux.html

Woody "Ruthless" Guthrie | September 14, 2007, 9:12am | #

"Hey! This isn't your refrigerator!"

H&R is my H&R, H&R is your H&R.
H&R is the H&R for you and me!

Isaac Bartram | September 14, 2007, 9:56am | #

Pro Libertate

To implement your plan, wouldn't we first have to have a prize for the person who could send Salma Hayek or her functional equivalent to the Moon?

Your plan sounds as cunning as a fox who became the head of cunning plans at NASA. :)

Pro Libertate | September 14, 2007, 10:41am | #

Yes, Isaac, we'd need the government to do a one-time Apollo to get Ms. Hayek (or her functional equivalent) to the Moon. Remember, we're talking a one-way trip, which should make the effort quite simple and relatively cheap. Although this isn't a perfect libertarian solution, it would massively stimulate the private space industry, open space up to mankind, and ensure that some geeky but brilliant rocket scientist will have an opportunity to keep high intelligence in the gene pool.

Breaking news! Scarlett Johansson has also volunteered. . .for all mankind.

Isaac Bartram | September 14, 2007, 2:39pm | #

Pro Lib

That's brilliant.

Why it's so brilliant....I'm.....well....just....speechless.

:)

Isaac Bartram | September 14, 2007, 2:41pm | #

In fact, so brilliant, you should be the Director of cunning plans at NASA.

Pro Libertate | September 14, 2007, 3:18pm | #

Isaac,

Baldrick and I thank you. Urkobold, as usual, has expanded upon this concept.

J sub D | September 15, 2007, 12:35pm | #

I mean, these private space companies are 90% funded by silicon valley zillionaires- basically hobbyists with a generous budget. Nothing wrong with that, but you're crazy if you think any of these companies/pseudofoundations are going kick start a private space race. There will be plenty of money for this in the coming decades, but not now. Costs need to come way down first (because I don't think the incentives are going to change anytime soon).

All true. See commercial aviation, c. 1910. Just sayin'.

J sub D | September 15, 2007, 12:57pm | #

Take Salma Hayek or her functional equivalent.

Is this a functional equivalent? If so, I've got work to do!