Google Lunar X Prize and the ARCA Launch

The Aeronautics and Cosmonautics Romanian Association (ARCA) has announced that it will be ready to launch it’s 92-pound rover called the European Lunar Lander within the the next few months. The objective of the launch is to float a balloon 11 miles above the sea, at which point a STABILO rocket will carry the payload to space.

Last year GOOGLE announced that it would be offering some exuberant amounts of money for the Lunar X Prize. There are several $5 million dollar prizes as well as the grand prize of $20 million, which ARCA is aiming for. In order to win the $20 million grand prize the ELL has to land, travel 500 feet on the surface of the moon, and send video, images, and data back to Earth.