In June 2008, less than a year into the Google Lunar X PRIZE, Bob Richards shared his passion for space exploration and the importance of commercial and private access to the Moon during Moses Znaimer's ideaCity 2008 session.

At this time, Bob had completed a life-long goal of participating in a Mars mission with the successful Mars Phoenix Lander and its delivery of the first laser-based meteorological station to the north pole of Mars (discovering falling snow on Mars for the 1st time). With the Phoenix mission still underway, he had alredy turned his attention to the Moon and had founded the first official Google Lunar X PRIZE team, Odyssey Moon.

In 2012, as we pass the 5th anniversary of the Google Lunar X PRIZE, the motivation, strategy and goals driving Bob's passion for commercaial lunar exploration remain largely unchanged as he leads Moon Express toward the Moon.