- - - moonrover cost and minimum prize amount - - -
in these days I've evaluated the (possible) cost of a simple moonrover launch and the minimum amount needed for the 1st race price (moon travel & 3D images)
a simple 200-300 lbs. moonrovers may cost:
- $13.5 million for a Pegaus launch
- $0.5 million for a simple moonrover
- $5 million for the trans lunar injection engine and tanks (and moon braking)
- $1 million for the marsrovers-like moon landing airbags
then, a $20 million budget may be sufficient
but moonrovers' race competitors DON'T NEED to invest all this money
the only need to build the rover and test them in labs to verify if rovers may land and work on the moon (search for launch will be only the second-step)
the X-prize competition (for sub-orbital flight) was only $10 million but the winner of the prize have spent $30 million to build the SpaceShipOne
then, $10 million may be sufficient for the 1st moonrovers' prize competition
but I hope to find sufficient sponsors to reach a $20+ million prize, so, the winner will have (both) a great prestige and a TOTAL REFUND of the money spent to design and launch the rover!
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Moonrovers' Prize Competition
www.gaetanomarano.it/moonprize/moonprize.html