The new frontier ... again

Google has put up US$ 30 million to the first private enterprise that can land a rover on the moon and beam back a Gig of high-def images.

According to CNN, Google is partnering with the X Prize Foundation, a non-profit famous for launching the Ansari X Prize contest that led to the first private manned space flight in 2004.

In specific, Google will award US$ 20 million to the first company to land a rover by the end of 2014, US$ 5 million for second prize, and another fiver to the competitor who goes beyond the requirements.

No word on whether the images will be used as fodder for Google Earth or Moon.