Tag - Space

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.

This week's team interview is with Michael V. Paul of the Pennsylvania State University Lunar Lions team. It seems like PSU has some great intentions for establishing a solid future in commercial space through education. A well thought-out plan as well as a well put-together team lead by tried and tested leaders, with a heritage in the space industry, could be just the thing to get our youth interested in space by making it more accessible to students. Hopefully their well-implemented plan reaches beyond the Google Lunar X PRIZE long after the competition is over and continues to inspire.

An interview with Google Lunar X PRIZE team Moon Express, based in the USA. Public Outreach Liaison, Brad Kohlenberg, discusses The Moon and Me media campaign and what the moon means to him.

The first team interview from the Google Lunar X PRIZE Team Summit is finally here! This year I had the chance to sit down with every team to discuss their progress, as well as their struggles, as they work towards completing the $30 million prize. Some teams have met unexpected challenged where others have overcome incredible issues and odds. We all love the robots and the technology but this is a chance for everyone to hear the individual stories and find out more about the human side of the competition. Real people using real science to solve real problems.

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.

Recently, space has reignited the imaginations of the general public by emerging from the laboratories and propelling itself into mainstream media. With Space X docking with the international space station and JPL's Curiosity landing on Mars, space is the place once again and it has everybody all up in a buzz. So what's next? How does all of this relate to the Google Lunar X PRIZE? Are we the next big step in commercial space? How are our teams doing? All of these are valid questions with many valid, and debatable, answers.

Just before the 4th of July weekend I had announced that I was was going to do a giveaway for a boat-load... er, spaceship-load of loot to one lucky person who was within the, at that time, next 1000 followers on our Facebook and Twitter. Well, I threw all the names in a digital hat, drew one, and the results are in! Congratulations to our new pal Rajiv!

Want to win stuff? Watch this... Basically, The Google Lunar X PRIZE team Part Time Scientists have reached 100k friends on Facebook. That's quite the little get together. In honor of this (and because we want to be cool enough to sit at their table at lunch) we are hosting a little contest to see if we can boost our numbers up a bit and join the big kids club.

Do you ever sit at home and think to yourself "Gee, I wish there was a dedicated night of the year where people all over the world threw really awesome parties about space"? Man, if that's the case, you are so lucky you live on the one planet, that we know of, that has just such an event.

Save this date. September 22nd, 2012.

 

Want to look at the moon? Go outside at night and look up. Easy. You don't need super advanced technology to gaze up at the wonder that is Earth's natural satellite.