ISPL Faculty Member to Judge Google Lunar XPrize

Derek Webber will be one of the eight judges of the Google Lunar XPrize.  With a long and distinguished career in the space sector, Derek is an expert in space tourism, and an ISPL faculty member.  Derek is the author of ‘The Wright Stuff – The Century of Effort Behind your Ticket to Space.’

The prize will be awarded for the safe landing of a man on the moon for the first time since 1973. A private company must safely land, travel 500 meters above, below or on the lunar surface, and send back two broadcasts to Earth.

In addition, there will be Bonus Prizes for achievements such as surviving the lunar night or exploring lunar artefacts. These Prizes may win prize money in advance by completing terrestrial or space milestones. The deadline for the competition is 31 December 2015.

The Google XPrize follows the Ansari XPrize of 2004 for the achievement of regular sub-orbital flight, and the Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander XChallenge, whose prize money was claimed in 2009.

David Swanson will Chair the judging panel, which includes Professor Alan Wells, Professor John Zarnecki, Dr Charles Reynerson, Dr Derek Lang, John Jay Kurtz. Elisabeth Morse is Vice Chairwoman. The panel will review technical achievement, launches and prize awarding for the competition.

For more information about the judges and the competition, including who will compete and how they intend to achieve their goals, see the Google XPrize website.