Google Lunar X Prize

The challenge: To win the Google Lunar X Prize, a team must land a privately funded craft on the moon’s surface, get it to roam at least 500 meters and send back photographs and video to Earth.

Grand prize: $20 million until Dec. 31, 2012, then $15 million. Contest will end Dec. 31, 2014, unless sponsors extend the deadline.

Second prize: $5 million, until Dec. 31, 2014.

Bonus: An additional $5 million for completing tasks such as discovering water ice.

Guidelines: www.googlelunarxprize.org