A German Lunar X - Prize team has annunciate its intention to send two wandering probe to the Moon to inspect the lunar wanderer pull up stakes behind by the Apollo 17 mission . Finally , something that ’ll get the Moon landing conspiracy whacko to shut out the hell up .
The group , known asPT Scientists , is one of 16 squad currently contend for the $ 30 millionGoogle Lunar X - Prize , a competition requiring a individual radical to land an autonomous vehicle on the Moon , travel more than 500 meters ( 1,640 feet ) , and transfer high-pitched - definition photographs back to Earth . The group is currently act with German automobile producer Audi to develop the rover , and it has sign a deal with brokerSpaceflight Industriesto procure a drive on a commercial launch vehicle ( which rocket company is yet to be determined ) .
https://gizmodo.com/the-real-story-of-apollo-17-and-why-we-never-went-ba-1670503448
The first squad to land a wanderer on the moon and touch the basic prerequisite will receive the $ 20 million grand prize , while the 2d team to do so will exact the $ 5 million second place loot . Extra monies will be pass out for top the canonical requirements , such as travelling extra distance , discover water ice , and visiting Apollo site .
PT Scientists is contrive to send its probes to the area where Apollo 17 spaceman explored the Moon from December 11th to December 14th in 1972 . This NASA mission is notable in that it ’s the last time humanity visited the lunar surface . Should the PT Scientists deputation be successful , it ’ll be our first luck to see the state of the equipment go away behind by the astronauts , namely theApollo Lunar Roving Vehicle .
The team hopes to put down its probe about 2 to 3 miles ( 3 to 5 klick ) from the touch down land site of Apollo 17 in the Taurus - Littrow vale . From there , the vehicles will drive to within 200 meters ( 656 foot ) of the Apollo rover and inspect it remotely . In accordance with NASA preservation guidelines , the PT Scientists ’ vehicles can not down any closer than 1.24 miles ( 2 km ) off , and it can not get any closer than 200 m from the Apollo web site . This is a precious heritage site , and NASA would care it preserve for posterity .
From its advantage stage , the probes should be capable to run down the Apollo vehicle and measure its experimental condition , including any potential damage because of intense radiation , extreme temperatures , and micro - meteorites .
The Google Lunar X - Prize requires its contender to land their probes on the Moon in 2017 , which apply us something to reckon forward to next year . Once the probe institutionalise back its high - definition pictures of the lunar rover , you’re able to happily show them to your annoying Moon Truther friends .
[ New Scientist ]
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