The Lunar X-Prize – a Tool to Catalyze the First Generation of Private Enterprise as well as Governmental Lunar Exploration and Beyond

Paper number

IAC-08.B4.8.11

Author

Mr. Rene Laufer, Universität Stuttgart, Germany

Coauthor

Dr. James Burke, The Planetary Society, United States

Coauthor

Mr. Lauren Fletcher, Stanford University, United States

Coauthor

Mr. Team ISU SSP08 Lunar X-Prize, International Space University (ISU), Italy

Year

2008

Abstract

On September 13, 2007 the X-Prize Foundation and Google Inc. announced the Google Lunar X-Prize (GLXP). Based on the idea of the famous Orteig-Prize from 1919 which rewarded the first non-stop flight between New York and Paris, the X-Prize program was conceived and designed to foster scientific and technical breakthroughs and developments through a competition, such as the Ansari X-Prize for a first step in private human spaceflight. The objective of the GLXP is to win a robotic race to the Moon and, in doing so, challenging teams to develop new low-cost approaches for space exploration. Briefly, the main goal is to successfully land a robotic spacecraft on the lunar surface which must 1) move for at least 500 m, 2) transmit videos, images and data back to Earth, and 3) to occur before the end of 2012. The GLXP carries a US-Dollar 20 Million prize for completion of the primary task, but completing additional tasks (e.g. moving for a longer distance, imaging man made artefacts, etc.) will result in bonus prizes of up to another US-Dollar 10 Million.

However, the real opportunities for significant societal and programmatic impact lie beyond the scope of the development of new technologies and private sector lunar exploration. Rather, the most important part of this program are the opportunities to leverage these activities into wide dissemination engaging the imagination of the entire world and the direct participation of as many as possible and to enable long-term benefits through the creation of technical and non-technical opportunities within
space exploration and beyond.

In 2008, an international team of students and professionals assembled during the International Space University’s Space Studies Program to examine how to systematically and effectively capture the work of the individual GLXP competitors in order to advance a world-wide paradigm-shift in which the Citizens of Earth will no longer view space exploration as the domain of a privileged few, but instead as a fundamental human social activity in which all can participate.

Here we present the results of this study which provides the fundamental philosophy, framework, and roadmap to accomplish this and which identifies opportunities and issues associated with commercial and business applications, scientific and technological developments and spin-offs, international laws and treaties, governmental and private sector participation, education and outreach, and large-scale
societal participation.

Abstract document

IAC-08.B4.8.11.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-08.B4.8.11.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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