It's been almost eight years since we first talked about the Lunar X PRIZE, but the enthusiasm remains intact. There are $30 million in prizes, and the goal is huge: place a robot on the Moon, traverse its surface, and transmit high-definition content to Earth. Two of the participating teams, HAKUTO and Astrobotic, have agreed to reach the satellite on the same rocket, anticipating a kind of "NASCAR on the Moon" with several rovers racing head to head.
There are 18 teams still participating in the Lunar X PRIZE, and we must admit that is an achievement in itself. The competition was officially presented in September 2007. At that time, it was estimated that five years would be enough for someone to be able to take the prize, but the goal had to be extended to December 2014, then to December 2015, and finally to December 2016 (with conditions). In other words, placing a robot on the Moon is much more complicated than it seems, even with so many millions of dollars at stake. Now, there is a very important detail: the competition will be "on" the Moon. So why don't the teams coordinate their efforts to get there faster?
A Shared Ride to the Moon
That is what HAKUTO, the only Japanese representative, and Astrobotic from the United States have announced. Basically, the plan is this: during the second half of 2016, both teams will share a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. HAKUTO's two twin rovers, Moonraker and Tetris, will descend on Astrobotic's Griffin lander, accompanied by Astrobotic's rover Andy (also from Astrobotic), which was developed at Carnegie Mellon University. Once on the surface, the three rovers will try to do everything they can to traverse the required 500 meters, and transmit both video and high-definition images to Earth. The first place will take nothing less than $20 million, and there are another five million for second place. HAKUTO seems to have twice the chances, but the hostile environment of the lunar surface will undoubtedly be an equalizing component, and both competitors have agreed on a prize sharing arrangement.
Needless to say, there are short and long-term benefits for both sides. First, HAKUTO saves the effort of developing a lander, and second, Astrobotic gains a client very interested in extending its lunar plans. Astrobotic's CEO John Thornton was the one who used the phrase "NASCAR on the Moon" to describe this new partnership, which implies that other teams can join. The X PRIZE organizers have said they are delighted with the idea, although time is running: at least one team must present all the necessary documentation for a launch before December 31.
