Google backs private Moon landing, Google is offering a $30m prize pot to private firms that land a |
Google backs private Moon landing, Google is offering a $30m prize pot to private firms that land a |
Sep 14 2007, 08:02 AM
Post
#1
|
|
Member Group: Members Posts: 100 Joined: 11-October 04 From: Oxford, UK (Glasgow by birth) Member No.: 101 |
FROM: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6993373.stm
Firms interested in trying for the prize have until the end of 2012 to mount their Moonshot Anyone fancy a crack at this? Cheers Brian -------------------- "There are 10 types of people in the world - those who understand binary code, and those who don't."
|
|
|
Sep 15 2007, 01:49 AM
Post
#2
|
|
Merciless Robot Group: Admin Posts: 8785 Joined: 8-December 05 From: Los Angeles Member No.: 602 |
Beginning to wonder if they're just trying to emulate the early days of aviation...various prizes for various feats. Their ultimate goal has to be just plain publicity, of course, but Silicon Valley also has a vested interest in stimulating new technologies and fields of endeavour that naturally open new markets for theor products.
Google might just be sticking a toe in the water to diversify 10-20 yrs down the road, betting that UMSF will become a contracted government activity by then...in this scenario, NASA just hands out performance-based contracts, and all the work & risk of a mission is assumed by a contractor. This contest would be a good way to find a good company to buy. Their secondary assumption here is that lunar exploration will become very hot, as China, India & Russia get a lot more aggressive in lunar activities. Yeah, pretty thin...hell, I don't know why they're doing this!!!! Pure charity, pure publicity, pure foolishness, or the equivalent of buying a long shot, very expensive lottery ticket...I'll go with a combo of the second & fourth options. -------------------- A few will take this knowledge and use this power of a dream realized as a force for change, an impetus for further discovery to make less ancient dreams real.
|
|
|
Lo-Fi Version | Time is now: 27th September 2024 - 05:07 AM |
RULES AND GUIDELINES Please read the Forum Rules and Guidelines before posting. IMAGE COPYRIGHT |
OPINIONS AND MODERATION Opinions expressed on UnmannedSpaceflight.com are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of UnmannedSpaceflight.com or The Planetary Society. The all-volunteer UnmannedSpaceflight.com moderation team is wholly independent of The Planetary Society. The Planetary Society has no influence over decisions made by the UnmannedSpaceflight.com moderators. |
SUPPORT THE FORUM Unmannedspaceflight.com is funded by the Planetary Society. Please consider supporting our work and many other projects by donating to the Society or becoming a member. |