SpaeCor News

Have you often wondered when we are going back to the moon? Just when you thought the 2nd race to the moon would be won by India or China private entities with the help of the X prize foundation have plans on going to the moon. In an effort to push the limits of space travel Google and Northrup Grumman have teamed up for this 2nd X prize contest.  The contest will feature private companies striving for a grand prize of $20 million USD.

Teams will be expected to soft land on the moon and transmit HD video of the surrounding terrain.  Additionally bonus prizes will be awarded to teams that can discover NASA artifacts or even frozen ice at the lunar poles.

The first X prize contest aimed at creating reusable spacecraft in order make space travel cheaper.  The Lunar challenge however has a much larger scope.  The contest hopes to bring attention and interest to space travel by spurring excitement with real time video and boost support for moon colonization.

Interestingly enough the contest started around the same time that China announced its plans to land on the moon by around 2018.  Whether this is the attempt of another space race has yet to be determined.  NASA also announced their plans to go back to the moon by 2016.  Although it would seem all 3 entities are competing NASA and China don’t view the X prize contest as a competitor. However this could be the start of Corporate Space Conglomerates taking hold of space and vying for more power while nations keep their interests planet side