Google and the X-Prize Foundation are teaming up to give a $20 million prize to the first team that can put a rover on the moon.

Once on the lunar surface, the rover has to roam for at least 500 meters, and send a gigabyte of data back to Earth.  Eventually, Google wants to have a virtually live feed from the moon to stream on its site.

In 2012, the prize drops to $15 million, and the offer expires completely in 2014.  A prize of $5 million is in place for the second team to reach their objective.  And assuming the team gets there, an extra $5 million prize is available if they travel further than the required 500 m, take pictures of the Apollo hardware (assuming it’s really there, of course), find ice and survive the harsh night. 

Tell you what…I’m feeling generous.  I’ll throw $25 bucks in the pot…you know, just to sweeten the deal.

(Source: BBC and Dispatch)