Google, X Prize extends moon race date for TeamIndus and competitors

The lone Indian moon-landing contestant TeamIndus and its four global competitors get a three-month annexe from competition organizers — Google and X Prize — to complete their space feat.

The moon race organisers in an official statement released on August 16 have announced that competitors will get three months extra time for accomplishing their $30 million race to the moon.

The Google Lunar X Prize (GLXP) competition has extended the date of landing on moon from 2017 end to 31 March 2018.

“The launch date is not a factor anymore. The teams will have to complete their missions by March 31, 2018,” read a GLXP statement.

Earlier, the GLXP had announced $20 million to the team who manages to soft-land their spacecraft on the moon, move at least 500 meters and transmits high-definition photos and video back to Earth.

With the announcement of new dates the race organisers have have made set new rules and have hiked prize money.

Also Read: Google Lunar Xprize: TeamIndus, Moon Express and 3 other teams gear up for landing their spacecrafts on lunar surface

Now, the GKXP have added $4.75 million. Contestants landing on moon or completing at least one lunar orbit will receive $1.75 million and $3 million for proof of a soft lunar landing.

"X Prize and Google are thrilled to offer these additional in-space milestone prizes as a further incentive for finalist teams," GLXP Senior Director Chanda Gonzales-Mowrer said in a statement.

Also Read: TeamIndus unveils 'Moonshot Wheels' to inspire next-gen about India’s first private moon mission

The teams running in the space race our International collaboration team Synergy Moon, Florida-based Moon Express, Israel’s SpaceIL, Hakuto from Japan and India-based TeamIndus.

The Bengaluru-based team had recently announced that it was readying a spacecraft version for qualification test with ISRO.

The Indian team has hired ISRO’s PSLV rocket to send its spacecraft, ECA, to moon in December.