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Team Wins $1M In Lunar Lander X Prize Contest

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Nov 2, 2009 5:55 pm US/Pacific

Team Wins $1M In Lunar Lander X Prize Contest

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― A team of California rocketeers has won a $1 million prize in a simulated lunar landing contest backed by NASA.

The X Prize Foundation said Monday that Mojave, Calif.-based Masten Space Systems had a better landing accuracy than was achieved by Armadillo Aerospace of Rockwall, Texas, which got $500,000 for second place.

The teams flew robotic rockets that had to rise more than 160 feet, stay aloft for at least 180 seconds while traveling to a rocky landing pad and then fly back to the starting point.

NASA put up $2 million in prizes for the Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge as an incentive to spur development of technology by space entrepreneurs.

In a less-demanding lower level of the competition, Armadillo was first and won $350,000 while Masten got $150,000 for second place.

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