Moon Express and Rocket Lab to Launch Rover That Could Land On Moon

Recently in the race to be the first private company to land a robot on the moon, two private groups have signed to launch a privately developed rover that can land on the moon and then perform further requirements of the Google Lunar XPRIZE.

The team that will be the first to launch their rover and complete the task of landing, travelling about a third of a mile and transmit high-definition images back to earth, will be considered as the winning team of the competition.

The XPRIZE on Tuesday said in a statement that it had verified Moon Express’ previously announced contract to launch an MX-1E ‘micro-lander’ on Rocket Lab USA’s Electron rocket by December 31, 2017.

Moon Express during the competition will join SpaceIL, as Israeli company whose contract to launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from California was verified in October.

Moon Express CEO and co-founder Bob Richards in an interview declared the race on. Moon Express and Rocket Lab so far have not given any confirmation on their launch site, but the Space Coast would offer advantages over others.

Rocket lab has been exploring Cape Canaveral Air Force Station or Kennedy Space Center as a potential US home for Electron, the rocket it is designing for launch of small satellites.

The American space agency NASA has recently awarded Rocket Lab a contract to launch tiny satellites called CubeSats. It is a mission that could fly from a pad built by Kennedy Space Center.