MOON EXPRESS

A company called Moon Express wants to be the first private company ever to land on the Moon in 2017. Now the company has been granted approval by the United States government to launch to the lunar surface. It’s the first time the government has granted regulatory approval for a private mission beyond Earth orbit. No regulatory framework currently exists for a commercial space missions to another world. Lawmakers are working on a permanent solution, but it won’t be ready in time for Moon Express’ first mission. After a meeting between the Federal Aviation Administration, the White House, and the State Department, Moon Express has been given the approval it needs to launch to the Moon. Moon Express needs to get to the Moon by 2017 because that’s the deadline for the Google Lunar X Prize – an international competition to send the first privately funded vehicle to the Moon’s surface.
* But really, who’s going to stop them from going? Are space cowboys going to lasso the rocket and bring it back to Earth?
* Well, they took care of the red tape. Now all they have to do is build the rockets and stuff.
* Luckily, they have a whole year.
* The first prize is $20 million, so that should cover the cost of, maybe, the blueprints.
* We should clarify that this would be the first private trip to the moon that we know of.
* Oh come on, you don’t think there’s a secret space program?
* Then what about the structures on the far side of the moon?
* What do you bet they were having lunch at Panda Express when they thought up this name?
* So they’re in a hurry because they want to collect a prize? What’s it for? The biggest manmade crater on the moon?