THE million-dollar Lunar Lander Challenge prize will be claimed this year. Already one team's craft has completed an Earth-based test trip which proves it has the oomph to achieve lunar orbit from the moon's surface. Two more teams will attempt to do the same before the end of October.
The Scorpius, built by Armadillo Aerospace of Rockwall,Texas, took off on 13 September from a launch pad at nearby Caddo Mills. Fuelled by a blend of liquid oxygen and alcohol, it rose 50 metres into the air and headed to a mock lunar landing pad 50 metres away. After refuelling and a minor tweak to the controlling software, it flew back.
The trips simulated landing and blasting-off from the moon's surface and into lunar orbit - putting it in line to claim the $1 million prize for fulfilling level 2 of the Northrop Grumman 2009 Lunar Lander Challenge.
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