The first private moon-landing moves a step closer as Google Lunar Xprize

The SpaceIL team will build their own capsule which will use a SpaceX Falcon 9 launcher to shoot into space, before separating and making its own way to the moon.

Israeli non-profit space exploration company SpaceIL has announced that it’s become the first company to successfully deliver a launch contract in pursuit of Google’s $30 million lunar XPRIZE payout.

SpaceIL’s craft won’t be alone in the Falcon 9, though. There are now 16 teams in the running, and the first to land a robot on the moon, have it travel 500 metres and transmit HD video back to Earth will win the grand prize of $20 million. That triggers an extension of the competition, which would otherwise have come to an end this year if no team had a verified contract in place.

“We are proud to officially confirm receipt and verification of SpaceIL´s launch contract, positioning them as the first and only Google Lunar XPRIZE team to demonstrate this important achievement, thus far”, said Bob Weiss, vice chairman and president of XPRIZE.

The scheduling was made possible by a recent investment from the family foundation of conservative casino mogul Sheldon Adelson and Morris Kahn’s Kahn Foundation, and the rocket will launch with the help of Spaceflight Industries. Judging by Spaceflight’s listed prices, SpaceIL’s trip will cost somewhere around $10 million.

SpaceIL team members announced the contract today (Oct. 7) at a press conference in Jerusalem, Israel, during which they also revealed the new design of their 1,100-lb.

If Privman’s squad pulls it off, that would make Israel only the fourth country to plant a rover on the moon: The only others that have done so are the United States, China, and the Russian Federation. “This takes us one huge step closer to realize our vision of recreating an “Apollo effect” in Israel: to inspire a new generation to pursue science, engineering, technology and math”.