X Prize $30 Million Robot Race To the Moon Is On

coondoggie writes "The master competition masters at X Prize Foundation are at it again. Today the group announced the 29 international teams that will compete for the $30 million Google Lunar X Prize, the competition to put a robot on the moon by 2015. To win the money, a privately-funded team must successfully place a robot on the Moon's surface that explores at least 500 meters and transmits high definition video and images back to Earth. The first team to do so will claim a $20 million Grand Prize, while the second team will earn $5 million."

Re:Only $30 million?

[whereiswaldo]

This is no time to joke. And stop calling me Shirley.

The Mythbusters should try to win this!

[Joe The Dragon]

The Mythbusters should try to win this!

Space Robot Fight?

[Stregano]

I would personally put some kind of weapon on my robot in the case the other robots got there first. Send a signal back to earth of my robot kicking your robot's ass. That would be badass

Re:The Mythbusters should try to win this!

[0100010001010011]

But bad rocket science = masterful cinematic effects.

Re:The Mythbusters should try to win this!

[macshit]

"Well Bob, it looks like our calculations were completely wrong, and our lander's going to impact at incredible speed, resulting in a giant explosion!

We are rocket scientists: MYTH BUSTED!
...
Good thing we've got that camera crew in lunar orbit ready to capture it in ultra slow motion..."

It was all a fake

[Just_Say_Duhhh]

So, to claim the $20 million, all I have to do is drive my robot out to an abandoned warehouse in Arizona, let it drive around and take a picture of one of the LEMs (they left them in the warehouse, didn't they?) and then publish the picture?

SCORE!

Re:Unfortunately,

[Anonymous Coward]

I don't think an iPhone is going to work very well on the Moon. It barely works in New York City.