Google Backs Private Moon Landing With Google Lunar X PRIZE

It has nothing to do with organizing the world’s information — but I don’t
care, it’s pretty cool.
Google’s
backing a private moon landing. In particular, it’s putting up $30 million
for the Google Lunar X PRIZE, a
contest for private landings on the moon.

Can you land a craft that will roam for 500 meters and transmit back to
earth? Do it first and before 2013, and $20 million could be yours. Check out
the exact rules
here.

FYI, Google’s already got one moon project already going,
Google Moon, a map of the moon that
went live
back in July 2005. That’s
been updated
now with an all new version in conjunction with today’s announcement.
Google Mars followed
in March
2006, then Google
Sky opened up viewing the stars and universe just last month.

For more coverage as people react, just out the Techmeme
roundup.