Want $ 30 million in cash?
Google and the X PRIZE Foundation offers 30 million dollar cash to the first team to build a spacecraft financed by private funds, to land on the moon, to roam for at least 500 metres and send photos and video to Earth .
All by 31 December 2012.
To be sure, this is not your father sweepstakes. But, 10 teams of engineers, former employees of NASA and aerospace experts have already registered to compete, and revealed their prototypes and plans for Google in Mountain View headquarters today.
“The traditional industry is doubtful that anyone can do it and that’s fine,” said Peter Diamandis, chairman and CEO of the X PRIZE Foundation. “But we have a great faith in the entrepreneurship and really believe someone will win the X Prize Lunar Google
Google Earth
Google Earth, initially known as Earth Viewer was actually conceived by a firm named Keyhole, Inc. which was overtaken by Google in 2004. It enables one to observe an aerial view of the earth with the aid of GIS 3D globe, satellite imageries and through aerial photography. Google Earth today is available in personal computers supported by Windows 2000, Vista, XP. Other upgraded versions of Google Earth like Google Earth Plus and Google Earth Pro are also available at limited rate subscriptions.
The functioning of Google Earth is not complicated at all. One requires to download the software from the authorized website. Then, one has to enter the relevant address, town or city and country. In doing so, one will be able to view a glimpse of the locality, its people and buildings, cars and automobiles as if from the space. The use of the Digital Elevation Model or DEM information gathered from NASA’s Shuttle Radar Topography Mission is employed by Google Earth which facilitates better observation and also allows three dimensional perspectives of the locations thus providing a panoramic view. These three dimensional viewing is enabled to various locations over many countries like Japan, United States, Canada, Ireland etc.
In 2007, the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, in coordination with Google produced Google Sky which permitted one to observe astronomical images and stars. It also reveals stars, constellations, galaxies and the planets’ passage in their orbits.
However, since its inception, Google Earth ahs faced immense criticism with several countries expressing their fear over the over exposure of certain sensitive locations risking their national security. While Google has hardly denied co operation in such cases, one can hardly deny the magnificence and awe of these technological innovations which allow the world to be confined within the extents of our living groom computer screens.
