Google Lunar Grand Prix meet two "second-tier teams"-Moon,
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Google Lunar Grand Prix Japan Hakuto group recently announced that in 2017 will be aboard the team's Lunar Rover India team of Indus team Lander to the Moon after another team to work with Hakuto has announced his retirement from the game.
? A team plans to probe Lunar Apollo 17th near the cosmic environment. Image credit: NASA
In addition to its own probe, but India team Lander can carry more than 20 kilograms of cargo. Thus, Hakuto team probe aboard the Indus team "hitch." But the probe also needs to get out of the lander, and the "journey" 500 meters to win the award, so the outcome remains to be seen. It is reported that the closing date for the competition in December 2017, currently has 16 teams participate.
A few years ago, Israel Academy of Wei Boltzmann Oded Aharonson, the planet met 3 "lost space". The joint support of companies, foundations and universities, 3 engineers competing for the Google Lunar x Grand Prix $20 million in bonuses. Google Lunar x Grand Prix launched in 2007, the competition requires teams should be private team. At the end of 2017, if teams can first Lunar Rover or landing on the Moon, and move at least 500 meters back to HD video, or other data, the team will receive the ultimate prize.
Although the 3 engineers "cut" but Aharonson believes that this has been provided for lunar exploration opportunities that can be met without seeking. "You have to do more work, this task must be given more intellectual gifts. "He told them. So now SpaceIL team had a mission scientists:Aharonson, and the Lander will carry a light sensor, to draw the magnetic field map of the moon.
At the end of last December, Moon x a key step in the Grand Prix, announced that only those who have signed up at the end of 2017 launching probe team will be eligible to compete for the final Grand Prize. In the current 16 teams competing, there are 4 confirmed by the launch. In 2015, the SpaceIL team and the United States of "Moon express" two teams have announced the launch of the contract review.
In December, the Indus team announced it has with India space research organization (ISRO) signed a contract, purchase of ISRO's launch services. ISRO will in December 2017, by a polar satellite launch vehicle (PSLV) will be the team of the lander and the Rover on the moon. Meanwhile, it was also announced that the cooperation with the Hakuto group, the latter probe on the moon. Germany's "freelance scientist" team announced that they had submitted to the x Prize Foundation launch contract, and was awaiting confirmation.
Chanda, Senior Director of the x Prize Foundation in charge of the race Gonzales-Mowrer, said in a statement: "we are very pleased to see the two teams collaborate on this mission. And in some ways, we set up the aim of the awards is to promote private-sector cooperation, this would be a great model. ”
It is reported that the engineer will follow mode determines the final winner of the Ansari x Prize . 2004 Ansari x Prize promote the falling cost of manned spacecraft. The technical director Andrew Barton says, science can benefit from it. For many future science missions, movement and communication with Earth is the basic technology of the lunar surface.
Barton also said the prize will also set up two additional awards. Water discovery Award ($ 4 million) request team clearly detected water on the Moon , and published a peer-reviewed paper. "Although the orbiter has found water on the Moon, but no one on the surface of the field probe. "Barton said.
Vie for the Apollo Legacy Award ($ 4 million) teams must be sent from the landing position when Apollo images and photos. Barton said about Apollo artifact on the moon through weather data will have scientific value.
But neither player is currently a finalist announced goal is to find water. Reason may be they think most likely where there is water is the shadows of craters at the lunar poles , solar probe that is difficult to reach. Also, close to the ruins of Apollo was "a hard nut to crack". Moon landing is difficult to pinpoint and correct, so close to the Apollo site too difficult for teams probe. In addition, the landing locations closer braking rocket explosion or impact is more likely to destroy these historic sites.
However, the "freelance scientist" team is in the process of trying. The team believe that Audi has developed with the help of detectors that can achieve the required precision landing. The team Chief electronics technician Karsten Becker noted that they plan to land in the vicinity of the lunar landing of Apollo 17th. "After 45 years on the Moon, it is brand new or has become fragmented? "He asked.
In any case, these teams will perform a number of experiments on the moon. SpaceIL magnetometer team will help to identify the source of the magnetic field of the moon. As Israel spacecraft into lunar orbit, and close to its surface, the magnetometer will explore changes in the magnetic field and the location of the crater. "The task may not be able to completely solve the problem, but we will make progress. "Aharonson said.
But United States project manager Mike Ravine Malin space science systems has pointed out, these projects may not have much feedback in science. In 2000, the Ravine has tried to cooperate with private lunar exploration team, but ultimately failed. This experience has taught him one lesson: " don't try to ' second-class ' team doing science ." He said if the x Prize project a success, "can give some scientific value, are very good, but it's too difficult".
谷歌登月大奖赛迎来两支“二流队伍” - 探月,
Google - IT资讯
参加谷歌月球大奖赛的日本Hakuto团队于近日宣布，该团队的月球车将在2017年搭乘印度参赛队伍Indus团队的着陆器登月，此前与Hakuto合作的另一支参赛队伍已宣布退出比赛。
▲一个团队计划探测阿波罗17号月球车附近的宇宙环境。图片来源：NASA
除自己的探测器外，印度团队的着陆器还能携带20多公斤的货物。于是，Hakuto团队的探测器也将搭乘Indus团队的“顺风车”。但该探测器还需要能脱离着陆器，并“跋涉”500米才能赢得奖项，因此结果如何尚待分晓。据悉，这项比赛的截止日期为2017年12月，目前有16支队伍参与。
几年前，以色列魏兹曼科学院行星学家Oded Aharonson遇到了3位“太空迷”。在企业、基金会和大学共同支持下，这3位工程师在角逐谷歌月球X大奖赛的2000万美元奖金。谷歌月球X大奖赛推出于2007年，该竞赛要求参赛队伍必须是私人团队。在2017年结束前，如果有参赛队伍能够最先将月球车或着陆器送上月球，并至少移动500米，发回高清视频或其他数据，该团队将获得最终的大奖。
虽然，这3位工程师还“壮志未酬”，但Aharonson认为这项比赛提供了可遇而不可求的探月机会。“你们必须做更多工作，必须给该任务更多智力馈赠。”他告诉他们。于是，现在SpaceIL团队有了一个任务科学家：Aharonson，而且其着陆器还将携带一个轻量传感器，以绘制月球磁场地图。
去年12月月底，月球X大奖赛迈出了关键一步，宣布只有那些已经签约在2017年年底前发射探测器的团队才将有资格角逐最后的大奖。在目前参赛的16支队伍中，已有4支得到发射确认。在2015年，SpaceIL团队和美国的“月球快递”两支参赛队伍已宣布通过了发射合同审核。
12月，Indus团队宣布已与印度空间研究组织（ISRO）签署合同，购买ISRO的发射服务。ISRO将在2017年12月，用一枚极轨卫星运载火箭（PSLV）将该团队的着陆器与漫游车送上月球。同时，它还宣布与Hakuto团队展开合作，将后者的探测器一同送上月球。而德国的“兼职科学家”团队宣布，他们已向X Prize基金会提交了发射合同，并在等待确认。
负责该竞赛的X奖基金会高级总监Chanda Gonzales-Mowrer，在一份声明中称：“我们很高兴看到两支参赛队伍在这次登月任务上进行合作。在某种程度上，我们设立该奖项的目的就是希望促进私企的相互合作，这会是一个绝好的示范。”
据悉，工程师将仿照Ansari X大奖的模式确定最后的赢家。2004年的Ansari X大奖推动载人宇宙飞船成本的下降。该奖技术主管Andrew Barton表示，科学也能从中受益。对于许多未来科学任务而言，在月球表面运动和与地球通讯是基本技术。
Barton还提到，该奖赛还将设立两个额外奖项。水发现奖（400万美元）要求参赛队在月球表面明确地探测到水，并发表一篇同行评议论文。“虽然轨道探测器已经发现月球有水，但还没有人在其表面进行过实地探测。”Barton说。
而角逐阿波罗遗产奖（400万美元）的队伍，必须从当年阿波罗的着陆位置发送图像和照片。Barton表示，有关阿波罗人造品在月球经历风霜的数据将会有科学价值。
但目前入围决赛的选手都未宣布目标是寻找水。原因可能是他们认为最可能有水的地方是位于月球两极的撞击坑阴暗处，太阳能探测器难以到达。而且，接近阿波罗遗迹也是“一块难啃的骨头”。月球着陆点很难精确无误，如此接近阿波罗遗迹对参赛队伍的探测器而言难度太大。另外，登陆位置越接近，制动火箭爆炸或撞击也越可能毁坏这些具有历史价值的地点。
不过，“兼职科学家”团队正着手一试。该团队认为在奥迪公司帮助下开发的探测器能达到所需的降落精度。该团队首席电子技术员Karsten Becker指出，他们计划降落在阿波罗17号的月球车登陆点附近。“在月球上待了45年后，它是崭新如初还是已经成为碎片？”他反问。
无论如何，这些参赛队伍都将在月球上执行若干实验。SpaceIL团队的磁力计将有助于发现月球磁场的源头。随着以色列航天器进入月球轨道，并接近其表面时，该磁力计将探索磁场变化和撞击坑位置的关系。“该任务可能无法彻底解决问题，但我们将取得进步。”Aharonson说。
但美国马林空间科学系统公司项目经理Mike Ravine指出，这些项目可能不会对科学有太大反馈。2000年，Ravine就曾尝试与私人月球探测团队合作，但最终失败。而这次经历让他得到这样一个教训：“不要尝试与‘二流’团队做科学”。他表示，如果X大奖项目成功，“能作出一些有科学价值的东西是很好的，但太困难”。