Google's Lunar Xprize Ends March 31, 2018 And Will Have No Winner

Google wanted to push private research and space companies to develop the technology needed to put a lander on the moon. To do that it started the Google Lunar xPrize and funded the competition with tens of millions of dollars. The top prize for putting a lander on the moon was $20 million.

The catch is that the deadline for that moon landing was set at March 2018 and there is no company able to make good on the challenge and collect the loot. The March 2018 deadline is more than a decade after the contest was originally announced. There were several companies participating, but reports indicate that they are all either short of money or unable to launch in 2018.

Google has reportedly opted to not change the original March 21, 2018 deadline for the competition. Google has said via a spokesperson that it is proud of what the teams have achieved over the last ten years. According to reports, the four teams that have been competing to complete their spacecrafts aren't close enough to launch to justify a deadline extension.

Team SpaceIL is short funding for its spacecraft and Moon Express, TeamIndus, and Synergy Moon won't be ready for launch in 2018. SpaceIL could be ready to launch this year but says no one can make the March 31 deadline. SpaceIL needed $7.5 million to pay for its launch contract and was unable to raise the funds.

Moon Express has stated that it still hopes to launch its lander next year and had stated that the Google competition wasn't its top priority. Moon Express has a five-launch contract with Rocket Lab, the company that had a successful test of its small Electron launch vehicle last weekend. However, the rover that Moon Express has is said to be too heavy for the Electron rocket to put into orbit.

SOURCE: MSNBC