14 DAY TRIAL // Google's Lunar X Prize competition, founded last year, proves to be a major attraction for the teams interested in winning the $20 million first prize or, at least, the second place, which would bring them $5 million in cash. Also, there are bonus prizes available, worth $5 million. Following the recent application of two more teams on Tuesday, the Europeans from Euroluna with their "mobile phone on wheels" and the China-based Selene with a four-wheeled LuRoCa 1 rocket car, a mystery team revealed its identity today.
The number of teams in the competition has now risen to 16, with the mystery team being the fifth to enter the race at the time. Now, a public announcement made at a press conference held at NASA's Ames Research Center lifted the veil from its name and structure, and we found out that the team's name reflects its goals. It is called the Next Giant Leap and is comprised of and supported by names that may shake the morale of its competitors.
"Our first year was well spent, recruiting the best possible team members and building the strong working relationships required to reach our goals," entrepreneur Michael Joyce, who founded the team back in November 2007, shared in a statement. "With the world class team we have assembled we are ready to take the next giant leap forward required to win the Google X Prize and establish NGL as commercial lunar services company."
Among the team's members, consultants and partners are big names, such as people from the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics at MIT, NGL's key academic partner, including Jeff Hoffman, who was a shuttle astronaut five times and Professor David Miller, chief of the Space Systems Laboratory.
MicroSat Systems, Inc., famous for small spacecraft innovation, acts as the lead systems integrator. Draper Laboratory, which provided space guidance navigation and control for the space program supporting Apollo, the space shuttle and the ISS, will take care of the safe landing of the team's device. Aurora Flight Sciences, specialized in unmanned aerial vehicles and manned space hardware will also offer its expertise, while Busek Co. Inc. will demonstrate their skillfulness in advanced space propulsion, and mainly in electrical propulsion systems.
"We are delighted to have them go public as we believe they will be a strong contender with experienced participants, a strong academic partner and several innovative, small space companies," stated Peter H. Diamandis, X PRIZE Foundation's Chairman and CEO.