Thaindian News

London, Oct 4 (IANS) Backyard inventors are hoping to land their own weird contraptions on the moon after Google launched a 20 million-pound competition.

The NASA had estimated that such flights would cost more than 1 billion pounds - with some disbelievers suggesting that it is virtually unthinkable to voyage to the moon.

But since the Isle of Man government (a self-governing British Crown Dependency) has lifted tax restrictions on such flights, a flurry of do-it-yourself space voyages are anticipated.

Internet search giant Google became one of the first to take advantage of the tax break when it announced the Lunar X prize in September 2007, reports the Daily Mail.

Twenty-two teams which have worked tirelessly on their contraptions will meet in the Isle of Man Tuesday to fine tune the final details of the missions.

Representing Britain in the competition is the crew behind Astrobotic, a four-wheeled silver machine that resembles a moving road sign.

Julian Ranger, the British financier who is raising cash for Astrobotic, said: “We believe we can get the cost (of reaching the moon) down to $50 million, a price tag that will transform lunar exploration and make the moon a target for all sorts of commercial operations.

“Part of our business plan will be to get our rover to move round the site and take a 3D high-definition film of it.”

Other hopefuls in the competition include Team Italia whose craft is a green dome supported by six spider-like legs.

America’s entry, Jurban, looks like a large worm designed to negotiate the moon’s rough terrain of craters with several small capsules joined together in the same way as a train.

The Barcelona Moon Team has entered a more traditional flying-saucer that was built by a jewellery designer. It has a body that resembles an upside down bow with flashing lights on the rim.

The $20 million prize will be given to the first team that lands their craft on the moon and directs a journey of more that 500 metres.