From Japan we have just learned the intentions of a startup to reach the Moon. We speak specifically about the company Ispace Inc. who has in mind to put an exploration rover on lunar soil, baptized with the name of Hakutō. For this they have decided to join forces with him Team Indus, a company based in India that today has in its possession a contract with which to launch the rover that, if everything follows its natural process and there is no delay, should occur in December 2017.
Many are the private companies that have an interest in reaching the Moon. At this point, it should be noted that not only does the Japanese exist today Ispace Inc., but from the United States we have Moon Express, the first private company to receive authorization from the FAA to travel to the Moon, Audi is the German representation in this peculiar race or, already as fourth contender, we find ourselves SpaceIL, an Israeli non-profit company.
Google is the main reason for this interesting race to reach the Moon.
However… Where does this interest come from? Although there were many private companies interested, in one way or another, in reaching the Moon by their own means, the truth is that this interest has increased since Google launch your contest X-Prize where it seeks to stimulate precisely private companies to develop all kinds of exploration, tracking, study and even component extraction technologies on the Moon.
On the other hand, a simple point within the contest as the 20 millones de euros that the first company to land on the Moon will win, travel at least 500 meters and send high definition photos. The second company to achieve this milestone will earn $ 5 million while there will also be another $ 5 million at stake for those teams that achieve certain imposed challenges such as bringing ice samples or visiting the Apollo mission sites.
Further information: Google X-Prize
An animation? Another bullshit that will never come out