Google decided to put up $30 million bucks today as a prize for the first team to successfully land a robotic vehicle on the moon. A lump sum of $20 million will be given to the winning team, with the other $10 million going to various other prizes.

To win the team would have to make a safe landing on the moon and the rover must be able to travel at least half a kilometer wile transmitting a specific set of HD images back to earth. Google will broadcast the images shot by the craft.

A second prize in the contest will be worth $5 million with bonus prizes like $5 million for finding lunar ice. Google’s prizes are being held in conjunction with the X PRIZE Foundation in an attempt to stimulate space exploration.

Via Coolest-Gadgets