All three sides involved in the private Indian mission to the moon have spoken out for the first time.
Space startup TeamIndus and Antrix Corporation officially said they have ended their contract.
And the $30-million Google Lunar XPRIZE (GLXP) organiser has also called off its 10-year-old challenge — in which TeamIndus was one of the five contestants. The two jointly said the deal is off and they have amicably parted ways for now.
TeamIndus had planned to send a lander-rover to the moon on an ISRO launcher. Its chief, Rahul Narayan, said they were now eyeing wider horizons.
Team Indus plans to still go to the moon multiple times in the next three to five years, Mr. Narayan said. “We will take sufficient time to do this well and go to the moon, multiple times over the next three to five years. We will carry more payloads. Scientific payloads on commercial basis,” he elaborated.
Improved lunar rover
The lunar rover planned for GLXP would be taken on the first mission, with improved sensors and cameras. Japanese partner Hakuto would continue be a collaborator. Team Indus is continuing to seek the next round of funds - having raised about ₹30 crore or about half of what it had required for the launch-related costs.
TI had asked the GLXP organisers to extend the contest but Mr. Narayan did not say how much longer they would have needed.
Late on Tuesday, U.S.-based GLXP said it was calling off the ten-year contest for private-funded space ventures. “We have concluded that no team will make a launch attempt to reach the moon by the March 31, 2018 deadline. Due to the difficulties of fundraising, technical and regulatory challenges, the grand prize of the $30-million Google Lunar XPRIZE will go unclaimed,” a statement said.
