Discovery Channel and Science Channel together with Google Lunar X Prize announce the start of a television competition.
The competition promises $ 30 million for landing a robot on the surface of the Moon, which will be able to travel at least 500 meters and will transmit high-definition video to Earth no later than December 31, 2015. Teams must be funded from private sources.
"Google Lunar XPRIZE will provide all the ingredients for a fantastic show - prizes, contests and stunning visual effects. This is a great project for Science channel and Discovery channel," said Eileen O'Neill, vice president of the Discovery Channel.
"More than half of the world's population has never had the opportunity to watch the live broadcast from the moon," added President X of the Prize, Robert Weiss. “The partnership with the Discovery channel and the Science channel will allow us to attract public attention around this momentous event,” Weiss said in a statement.
Details of the television competition are still under development, says Discovery Spokeswoman Lori Goldberg, adding that the show is likely to be aired in 2015
"The Discovery Channel and Science Channel will cover the entire process, including testing, launch and live broadcast of the winner’s lunar landing," the statement said.
The announcement was made at the annual Discovery Communications presentation in New York on Wednesday.
