Moon Express Signs Launch Contract For Possible First Private Lunar Landing

MarkWhittington writes: According to a story in Space.com, Moon Express, one of the leading contestants in the Google Lunar X Prize competition, has made a giant leap toward its goal of being the first private group to land on the moon. The company has signed a contract with Rocket Lab, a new launch company based in New Zealand, for five launches of its upcoming Electron rocket. The first two launches will take place in 2017 and will be attempts to land the MX-1 lander on the lunar surface in time to win the prize by the current deadline by the end of that year.

Comments

Re:NZ?

[0123456]

But New Zealand is on the underside of the Earth, so they have to use magnets to hold themselves to the ground. You just remove the magnets from the rocket, and it falls out into space.

I doubt it

[JustAnotherOldGuy]

I'll be shocked and astounded if this actually ever takes place.

A Moon shot is a hell of trick to pull off, even getting into orbit is beyond the capability of most countries, let alone transit to the Moon.

Space travel is hard; it's expensive, it's complex, and space is probably the most unforgiving environment imaginable.

Color me skeptical; I don't think this is going to happen via private industry for another 20 to 50 years at the very least.

I'd be overjoyed to be wrong, though! :)

Re:NZ?

[taiwanjohn]

Insightful? Seriously?

I'm having trouble deciding whether this is ironic or tragic (or meta-ironic?)... Guess I'll have to settle for meta-tragic.