The new moon race ignited by Google's Lunar Xprize contest continues to heat up. The Science Channel and Discovery Channel are jumping onto the bandwagon with a new reality TV show that will focus on the Xprize contestants.
The Google Lunar Xprize is a landmark incentive-based prize with the goal of finally landing a private spacecraft on the surface of the moon. With a prize worth $30 million, this Xprize also is the largest incentive program of its kind in the history of science.
Teams from various universities, academic institutions and private companies will compete to design, build, launch and land their lunar crafts on the surface of the moon. Moreover, the teams' lunar landers also need to travel a distance of 500 meters in the moon's atmosphere, below the moon's surface or on the moon's surface itself. The deadline for accomplishing the requirements is Dec. 31, 2015.
The Science Channel and Discovery Channel announced they will be documenting all phases of the competition's process, from the testing of entries to the actual lunar landing if any of the teams are successful with their designs.
"Science Channel and Discovery Channel will chronicle the historic race with a miniseries event following 18 teams from around the world as they compete to land safely on the surface of the moon and transmit a live picture back to Earth before the prize's deadline of Dec. 31, 2015," says the Discovery Channel. "The networks will follow the entire process including testing, lift-off, and live coverage of the winning lunar landing, which is estimated to take place in 2015."
Once the show starts airing, the world will be able to watch the current lunar space race unfold. One of the main goals of the new show is to rekindle mankind's interest in space travel and space in general.
Including their coverage of the Google Lunar Xprize, Discovery Channel and the Science Channel are preparing a new line of science shows that will focus on a variety of topics, such as space tourism and the new frontiers in consumer technology.
"Science has never been a bigger part of the social consciousness, generating widespread buzz and conversation about space tourism, delivery drones and wearable technology like Google Glass," said Eileen O'Neill, Science Channel, Velocity and Discovery Channel group president. "As the only network dedicated entirely to science programming, Science Channel is uniquely positioned to deliver entertaining television that ignites their imaginations. This season's Upfront lineup explores all that science has to offer, from unexplained phenomena and biblical mysteries to alien life and backyard scientists."
