Audi is taking off for the moon – together with “Part Time Scientists.” Nearly 45 years after NASA’s Apollo 17 completed the last manned mission to the moon, the cooperating partners have selected the old landing site of Apollo 17 as the new target. A group of German engineers in the Part-Time Scientists team is working within the Google Lunar XPRIZE competition to transport an unmanned rover onto the moon. Audi is supporting the Part-Time Scientists with its know-how in several fields of technology – from quattro all-wheel drive and lightweight construction to electric mobility and piloted driving.
The $30-million Google Lunar XPRIZE is a competition to challenge and inspire engineers and entrepreneurs from around the world to develop low cost methods of robotic space exploration. To win the Google Lunar XPRIZE, a privately-funded team must successfully place a robot on the moon’s surface that explores at least 500 meters and transmits high definition video and images back to Earth.