Google Funds Moon Robot

Google announced the Google Lunar X-Prize, $30m in prizes to private firms that land a robot rover on the Moon. The competition to send a robot craft to the Moon is being run with the X-Prize Foundation. The program is also offering an opportunity to send digital photos and humanitarian messages along with the winning spacecraft, through the Lunar Legacy program.

Using Google Earth, one can see a scale model of the solar system superimposed on one's own neighborhood here. Earlier scale models of the solar system were built by the people of Aroostook County in Maine, and by Brian Parks in Madison, Wisconsin. Nearly ten years ago, Mitchell Charity posted links to several scale models of the solar system.

Charlottesville Podcasts

The Charlottesville Podcasting Network has a great new look. Recent podcasts include Part Two of an interview with Dean Robert Bruner talking about the future of the UVA Darden School of Business and the upcoming academic year. (Part One of the interview)

Earlier this month, Coy Barefoot interviewed Michael Belfiore, author of the new book, Rocketeers: How a Visionary Band of Business Leaders, Engineers, and Pilots Is Boldy Privatizing Space. They discuss the future of the emerging private industry of space exploration, and competitions like the X-Prize. The October 2007 X-Prize competition is the Northrup Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge.