Now the Real Space Race begins

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - Web search leader Google Inc. will sponsor a $30 million competition for an unmanned lunar landing, following up on the $10 million Ansari X Prize that spurred a private sector race to space.

Like the Ansari X Prize, which was claimed in 2004 by aircraft designer Burt Rutan and financier Paul Allen for a pair of flights by SpaceShipOne, the Google Lunar X Prize is open to private industry and non-government entities worldwide, organizers said before an official announcement on Thursday.
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"We're starting on steps that will eventually lead to permanent settlement of the moon and Mars," Worden said. "That's probably going to get led by the private sector."

I don't doubt it. Full article.