X-Prize Lunar Lander Competition a Go

Tiger4 writes "The X-Prize foundation and NASA have signed off on a $2.5 million prize for proof of concept lunar lander vehicles. From the article, 'NASA Deputy Administrator Shana Dale told MSNBC.com that the point of the competition was to "take advantage of new innovative technologies that have been developed" since the last lunar landing, during the Apollo 17 mission in 1972." There are two levels of competition, "In the Level 1 competition, the vehicles must be in the air for at least 90 seconds during each leg of the round trip, and land on a flat, even surface. The Level 2 competition is harder -- requiring 180 seconds of flight each way, with a rocky, lunar-style landing site.' NASA and X-Prize people are still working on the final rules, but they are already signing up teams and expect to see vehicles in time for the X-Prize exhibition in New Mexico, October 18-21, 2006."

Comments

Just how strict are the rules anyway?

[Jeremi]

Can I win the contest using my parachute-based landing system?

Re:Just how strict are the rules anyway?

[gstoddart]

Can I win the contest using my parachute-based landing system?

Only if you're willing to wear the Wile E Coyote outfit and release the video under creative commons.

Re:Just how strict are the rules anyway?

[John Newman]

i dunno... what if the piece of junk shot particles at the parachute (like a solar sail concept?) would it still work?

It'll work as well as a sailboat with a big fan behind the sails.

See Newton's Laws.

Re:Moon Tether

[anagama]

You better lay off smoking that rope for a spell.

Re:This is the Government...

[Tony Hoyle]

If ol' Bill could get college students to write him a completely new OS for 2.5M, he'd probably jump at the chance.

Why, since they already did it for free?