// BEGIN editorial data var i = 0; var space_lunarxprize_080221 = new Array(); space_lunarxprize_080221.ID = "space_lunarxprize_080221"; space_lunarxprize_080221.ID_WB = 23283810; space_lunarxprize_080221.sPubDate = "7/29/2009 1:57:32 AM GMT"; space_lunarxprize_080221.navsectionID = "3033062" space_lunarxprize_080221.appFmt = 2; space_lunarxprize_080221.itemsPerPage = 1; space_lunarxprize_080221.nTeaseW = 298; space_lunarxprize_080221.nTeaseH = 298; space_lunarxprize_080221.appWidth = 600; space_lunarxprize_080221.appHeader = "

"; space_lunarxprize_080221.appNavStyle = 7; space_lunarxprize_080221.navCols = 1; space_lunarxprize_080221.bDhtml = 0; space_lunarxprize_080221.appLayout = 2; space_lunarxprize_080221.copyHeight = 350; space_lunarxprize_080221.copyWidth = 600; space_lunarxprize_080221.copyMargin = 10; space_lunarxprize_080221[i++] = new Array("","INTRO","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photo_StoryLevel/080221/080221-space-xpbrill-intro.hmedium.jpg","","Image: Rover at X Prize announcement", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "X Prize Foundation", "273", "410", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); space_lunarxprize_080221[i-1].body = "Introduction
The Google Lunar X Prize is a $30 million competition that calls upon teams to land a robot on the moon safely, send it on a trek of at least 500 meters over the lunar surface, and beam images and data back to Earth. The prize program expires at the end of 2014.
 
Click through our interactive to see the concepts being considered by 19 teams in the competition."; space_lunarxprize_080221[i++] = new Array("","Advaeros","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photo/_new/081030-space-brill-advaero.hmedium.jpg","","Image: Picard lander", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "Advaeros", "273", "364", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); space_lunarxprize_080221[i-1].body = "Advaeros

Advanced Aerospace Industries, an multinational venture based in Malaysia, plans to send its Picard lander to the lunar surface. The team's leader is Hanidy Yusof."; space_lunarxprize_080221[i++] = new Array("","ARCA","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photo_StoryLevel/080221/080221-space-xpbrill-arca.hlarge.jpg","","Image: European Lunar Explorer", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "ARCA via X Prize Foundation", "273", "364", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); space_lunarxprize_080221[i-1].body = "ARCA

Romania's ARCA group is offering a spherical concept called ELE, or European Lunar Explorer. The team's leader is Dumitru Popescu, a veteran of the Ansari X Prize competition for private suborbital spaceflight."; space_lunarxprize_080221[i++] = new Array("","Astrobotic","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/090728-astrobotic.hmedium.jpg","","Image: Red Rover and Artemis lander", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "Astrobotic", "273", "410", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); space_lunarxprize_080221[i-1].body = "Astrobotic

Red Rover rolls away from its Artemis lander and starts exploring the lunar surface in this concept from Astrobotic Technology. The organization coordinates the efforts of Carnegie Mellon University and other institutions under the leadership of William \"Red\" Whittaker, a robotics expert at CMU."; space_lunarxprize_080221[i++] = new Array("","Chandah","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photo_StoryLevel/080221/080221-space-xpbrill-chandah.hmedium.jpg","","Image: Shehrezade lander", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "Chandah via X Prize Foundation", "273", "364", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); space_lunarxprize_080221[i-1].body = "Chandah

The Chandah team, led by energy industry entrepreneur Adil Jafry, takes its name from the Sanskrit word for \"moon.\" In this concept image, the Shehrezade lander makes its descent toward the lunar surface."; space_lunarxprize_080221[i++] = new Array("","Euroluna","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/090326-xprize-euroluna.hmedium.jpg","","Image: ROMIT", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "Euroluna", "273", "364", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); space_lunarxprize_080221[i-1].body = "Euroluna

The ROMIT rover rolls around the lunar surface in this artist's conception. Euroluna (European Lunar Exploration Association) is headquartered in Denmark and is led by Palle Haastrup. Team members range in age from their teens to their 60s."; space_lunarxprize_080221[i++] = new Array("","FredNet","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photo_StoryLevel/080221/080221-space-xpbrill-frednet.hmedium.jpg","","Image: FredNet rover", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "FredNet via X Prize Foundation", "273", "364", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); space_lunarxprize_080221[i-1].body = "FredNet

Team FredNet's lunar rover rolls out from its landing and communication module in this concept art. The team's leader is Fred J. Bourgeois III, an aerospace engineer and software consultant."; space_lunarxprize_080221[i++] = new Array("","Independence-X","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photo/_new/081009-space-brill-xaerospace.hmedium.jpg","","Image: ILR-1", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "Independence-X", "273", "364", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); space_lunarxprize_080221[i-1].body = "Independence-X

Malaysia-based Independence-X Aerospace proposes sending this ILR-1 rover to the moon, in partnership with Universiti Teknologi MARA and the Malaysian Entrepreneurs Development Center. The team leader is Mohd Izmir Yamin."; space_lunarxprize_080221[i++] = new Array("","JURBAN","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photo/_new/081030-space-brill-jurban.hmedium.jpg","","Image: JOLHT", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "JURBAN", "273", "364", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); space_lunarxprize_080221[i-1].body = "JURBAN

The Juxtopia Urban Robotics Brilliant Application National challenge brings together professional and student engineers, with the aim of sending a JOLHT lunar craft to the moon's surface. The team leader is Jayfus T. Doswell."; space_lunarxprize_080221[i++] = new Array("","LunaTrex","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photo_StoryLevel/080221/080221-space-xpbrill-lunatrex.hmedium.jpg","","Image: Tumbleweed craft", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "LunaTrex via X Prize Foundation", "273", "364", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); space_lunarxprize_080221[i-1].body = "LunaTrex

The Tumbleweed lunar craft is powered toward the moon by an ion thruster in this artist's conception. Tumbleweed is the brainchild of LunaTrex, a team led by high-tech entrepreneur Pete Bitar."; space_lunarxprize_080221[i++] = new Array("","Micro-Space","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photo_StoryLevel/080221/080221-space-xpbrill-microspace.hmedium.jpg","","Image: Micro-Space rover", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "Micro-Space via X Prize Foundation", "273", "364", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); space_lunarxprize_080221[i-1].body = "Micro-Space

In this artist's conception, Micro-Space's lunar rover rolls off a landing platform on the moon. Micro-Space, which also competed for the Ansari X Prize as well as the Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge, is led by experimental physicist Richard Speck."; space_lunarxprize_080221[i++] = new Array("","Next Giant Leap","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/090326-xprize-nextgiantleap.hmedium.jpg","","Image: NGL lander", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "Next Giant Leap", "273", "364", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); space_lunarxprize_080221[i-1].body = "Next Giant Leap

Next Giant Leap's lander sits on the lunar surface in this concept artwork. This X Prize team, founded by Michael Joyce, was initially known only as the \"Mystery Team.\" Partners include MicroSat Systems, MIT Space Systems Laboratory, Draper Laboratory, Aurora Flight Sciences and Busek."; space_lunarxprize_080221[i++] = new Array("","Odyssey Moon","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/090326-xprize-odysseymoon.hmedium.jpg","","Image: MoonOne lander", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "Odyssey Moon via X Prize", "273", "364", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); space_lunarxprize_080221[i-1].body = "Odyssey Moon

The MoonOne lander fires its thrusters as it nears the lunar surface in this concept artwork from Odyssey Moon. The team, led by space industry executive Bob Richards, was the first to join the Google Lunar X Prize competition."; space_lunarxprize_080221[i++] = new Array("","Omega Envoy","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/090728-omegaenvoy.hmedium.jpg","","Image: Omega Envoy lander", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "Omega Envoy", "273", "364", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); space_lunarxprize_080221[i-1].body = "Omega Envoy

Omega Envoy's lander would be built by Earthrise Space, a not-for-profit organization founded by students and professionals in Central Florida, under the leadership of Ruben Nunez."; space_lunarxprize_080221[i++] = new Array("","Part-Time Scientists","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/090728-parttime.hmedium.jpg","","Image: Asimov 1 lander", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "Part-Time Scientists", "273", "364", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); space_lunarxprize_080221[i-1].body = "Part-Time Scientists

The Asimov 1 lander rolls across the moon in an artist's conception from Germany-based Part-time Scientists. The nonprofit group is led by Robert Böhme and numbers Texas Instruments and O'Reilly Media among its sponsors."; space_lunarxprize_080221[i++] = new Array("","Selene","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/090326-xprize-selene.hmedium.jpg","","Image: Selena 1 / LuRoCa 1", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "Team Selene", "273", "371", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); space_lunarxprize_080221[i-1].body = "Team Selene

The LuRoCa 1 (Lunar Rocket Car 1) blasts away from the Selena 1 lander on the lunar surface in this concept artwork from Team Selene. The team is led by Markus Bindhammer, a German-born inventor who lives in Shanghai."; space_lunarxprize_080221[i++] = new Array("","Stellar","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photo/_new/081030-space-brill-stellar.hmedium.jpg","","Image: Stellar lander", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "Team Stellar", "273", "364", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); space_lunarxprize_080221[i-1].body = "Stellar

The Stellar Eagle lander rolls on the lunar surface in this artist's conception. The team, led by Dick Dell, includes Insight Technologies, the Advanced Vehicle Research Center, faculty members from North Carolina State University and the NCSU Mechanical Aerospace and Engineering Department."; space_lunarxprize_080221[i++] = new Array("","Synergy Moon","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/090326-xprize-synergymoon.hmedium.jpg","","Image: Tesla Rover", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "Synergy Moon", "273", "364", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); space_lunarxprize_080221[i-1].body = "Synergy Moon

The Tesla rover rolls around the moon in this artist's conception from Synergy Moon. The team, led by Kevin Myrick, includes representatives from InterPlanetary Ventures, the Human Synergy Project and Interorbital Systems."; space_lunarxprize_080221[i++] = new Array("","Team Italia","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photo_StoryLevel/080221/080221-space-xpbrill-teamitalia.hmedium.jpg","","Image: Team Italia concept", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "Team Italia via X Prize Foundation", "273", "364", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); space_lunarxprize_080221[i-1].body = "Team Italia

This is one of the concepts under consideration for Team Italia's AMALIA rover. AMALIA stands for \"Ascensio Machinae Ad Lunam Italica Arte\" (Latin that roughly translates into \"The Ascent of a Machine to the Moon Through Italian Skill\"). The name also pays tribute to the team leader, Italian professor Amalia Ercoli-Finzi."; space_lunarxprize_080221[i++] = new Array("","White Label Space","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/090728-whitelabel.hmedium.jpg","","Image: White Label rover", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "White Label Space", "273", "364", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); space_lunarxprize_080221[i-1].body = "White Label Space

White Label Space's rover rolls across the moon in an artist's rendering. The international group's headquarters is in the Netherlands, and its leader is Steve Allen.
 
Learn more about the Google Lunar X Prize competition."; // END editorial data