Google Lunar X Prize

[Katahu]

For those of you who haven't been keeping tabs on the X-Prize Foundation, they have just started a new race that is now focused on the moon itself. Here are a few articles mentioned in the XPrize.org website:

What is X Prize?

The X PRIZE Foundation creates and manages prizes that drive
innovators to solve some of the greatest challenges facing the world
today.

With the success of the Ansari X PRIZE, the X PRIZE is now
viewed as the leading model to leverage the elements of public interest,
entrepreneurial spirit and cross-disciplinary innovation to bring about
breakthroughs that benefit us all.

We believe that a small group of
people with passion for a cause can achieve that which has never been attained.
This is why we stage competitions that challenge issues that matter
most.

Partners of the X Prize Foundation

   * Bryan Cave
   * Google
   * Kauffman Foundation
   * Overdrive
   * Ruth & Lovett Peters Foundation

[quote]October 26-28, 2007 - Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico

The Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge is designed to accelerate commercial technological developments supporting the birth of a new generation of Lunar Landers capable of ferrying payloads or humans back and forth between lunar orbit and the lunar surface. Such a vehicle would have direct application to NASA

[Chris_F]

When I saw Spaceship 1 in the news not long ago, I couldn't believe my eyes that a private company [I think it was called Scaled Composites] actually managed to create a space craft capable of touching space and do it again 2 weeks later [without the help of any government financing]. Therefore, the future of space exploration is beginning to look bright again once the private sector gets involved.

FYI, Scaled Composites is Burt Ruttan's company.

[Mushroom_Farmer]

Hmmm...... I got my tape and tubing. How many D-series rocket engines are required to reach escape velocity?

[Katahu]

Hmmm...... I got my tape and tubing. How many D-series rocket engines are required to reach escape velocity?

Let me get my calculator.

[expat]

Hmmm...... I got my tape and tubing. How many D-series rocket engines are required to reach escape velocity?

Let me get my calculator.

None, just one large portion of Fozzer's home made curry should do the trick

Matt

[TacitBlue]

Very interesting, I wonder if Mr. Rutan is going to give this one a try too. I kind of doubt it though, all indications are that he has his hands full building SS-2's for Virgin Galactic.

...wow, think about what we're talking about, it sounds like a Sci-Fi movie.

[JBaymore]

Hmmm...... I got my tape and tubing. How many D-series rocket engines are required to reach escape velocity?

You might need to shift to "E" or "F" engines.  ;)