Contenders now have until Dec. 31 for their spacecraft to be launched, said the foundation, which is running the Google Lunar XPrize and eight other technology stimulus contests. Since the contest was announced in 2007, interest in the Google Lunar XPrize has been high, with 33 teams originally signing up to compete for the $20 million first prize. Google’s parent company, Alphabet has produced a documentary series about Lunar XPrize competition. Five teams remain in the running: Israel’s SpaceIL, Florida-based Moon Express, an international team known as Synergy Moon, India’s Team Indus and Japan’s Hakuto. Moon Express is banking on a launch from startup Rocket Lab, which is developing a small rocket called Electron.

Source: Standard Digital January 25, 2017 04:19 UTC