With a $20 million X Prize in play, 16 private companies are vying to be the first to launch a mission to the Moon, and now one of the contenders, Moon Express, may be just weeks away from being the first to gain government approval for its plan. “Until now, only governments have undertaken space missions beyond Earth orbit, so we’ve become a regulatory pathfinder out of necessity,” Moon Express said in a statement. “We are eagerly awaiting a determination.”
Source: avwebPrivate Moon-Shot Race Heats Up