Google-backed Moon Race Nears Finish Line

Irene Klotz

Team SpaceIL

SpaceIL

Israel-based nonprofit SpaceIL is looking to create an “Apollo effect” among students to stimulate interest in math, engineering and the sciences. The SpaceIL lander, which is approximately the size of a dishwasher, is designed to hop on the lunar surface. It is scheduled to fly as a secondary payload aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in 2018.

Moon Express

NASA

Cape Canaveral-based Moon Express, the only U.S. contender for the Google Lunar X-Prize, aims to launch its first mission, Lunar Scout, in early 2018 aboard a Rocket Lab Electron booster. Whether it wins the prize or not, Moon Express is developing a business to fly payloads and provide services for an array of customers including universities, governments and private companies.

Synergy Moon International

Launching aboard an unproven Neptune 8 rocket built by Mojave, California-based Interorbital Systems, Synergy Moon, an international collaboration, aims to put a lander and a rover on the surface of the Moon.

TeamIndus

India’s TeamIndus has a ride into space from the Indian Space Research Organization and a targeted launch date of Dec. 28.

Team Hakuto

Operated by Ispace Inc., a Tokyo startup developing a lunar-mining business, Team Hakuto has an agreement to share a ride with TeamIndus aboard an Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle.

From an original pool of 33 contenders, five teams remain in the running for $30 million in prize funds offered by the Google Lunar X-Prize competition. The deadline to complete all contest milestones—which include landing on the Moon, transmitting high-definition video and traveling at least 1,640 ft. (500 m) on the lunar surface—is March 31, 2018.

Read more about the new Moon race: Companies Look To Make The Moon A New Commercial Frontier

Irene Klotz

Irene Klotz is Space Editor for Aviation Week, based in Cape Canaveral. Before joining Aviation Week in 2017, Irene spent 25 years as a wire service reporter covering human and robotic spaceflight, commercial space, astronomy, science and technology for Reuters and United Press International.

Aviation Week Intelligence Network

Monitor the market and connect your business to the people, programs and proprietary data driving the Aerospace & Defense market - only available with AWIN.

ASD_AWIN_thumbnail_270

Stay Connected.
Stay Informed
Grow Your Business.

Learn How