Tag - Google Lunar X PRIZE

Advances in Robotics 

This article is part four in a five part series about going back to the Moon with the Google Lunar X PRIZE by Nathan Wong.

Earlier today, the Google Lunar X PRIZE team Odyssey Moon announced that they have officially teamed up with team SpaceIL to work towards winning the competition together as one entity. SpaceIL will be taking the lead on this one, which means they will be assuming the representative role for both teams, as-well-as the first slot on our team page.

Finally, the much anticipated Google Lunar X PRIZE 2012 team summit video is up for your viewing pleasure!

25 teams from around the world are currently building robots, rockets, and lunar landers to win the $30 million Google Lunar X PRIZE.

This year shows some impressive advancements in the rover designs, propulsion and avionics technology. Teams are stepping it up as the competition thickens and with all the recent headlining developments in space, the Moon does not seem so far away.

Approximately 1,000 participants got to learn about the Google Lunar X PRIZE and the fun and exciting education projects it has to offer at the Ecsite Conference in Cite de l’espace in Toulouse, France.

It’s the night of the big game. From the locker room you can hear the crowd maintain a steady roar that almost hums like television static in the background. You’re focused and your mind is in the zone. Final preparations are made before you finally take that slow-motion walk out of the entry tunnel and set foot on the stadium floor to a crowd of 20,000+ people, each one of them waiting intently to see what you’re capable of. This is the big show.

This year’s winning MoonBots team, the LEGO® Aces from Granville, Ohio were treated to a VIP tour of Kennedy Space Center as part of their Grand Prize Experience. Their day included touring NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building, seeing the Space Shuttle Endeavour close up, and meeting a three-time shuttle astronaut!

The MoonBots 2.0 grand prize trip to LEGOLAND® Florida took place in mid-October. This year’s winning MoonBots team, the LEGO® Aces from Granville, Ohio were treated to a pre-opening day VIP tour of the park and participated in grand opening events. The prize experience also included a VIP trip to Kennedy Space Center which will be detailed in an upcoming blog. Stay tuned!