While the world deals with turmoil in the global markets, Google, with a host of partners, is proving that free enterprise is alive and well, and that it is continuing to push new boundaries in the search for technology, sustainability and innovation. Since last September, Google partnered with several other groups to offer prizes and bonuses up to $30 million to teams that land a rover and maneuver it on the moon before 2012. The grand prize is $20 million, with $5 million as a second prize and bonuses going towards certain achievements.The contest has already attracted several very high profile teams. One, called Next Giant Leap, is composed of former members of NASA & MIT (including an astronaut and professor, Jeffrey Hoffman) as well as companies such as Aurora Flight Sciences and MicroSat Systems, both already heavily involved in space based technology. They're considered heavyweights in this competition, but they're far from alone in the talented teams that have applied to Google's competition. Teams such as SELENE, composed of young enterprising Chinese, and Euroluna, who have large amounts of talented engineers and technicians on board ensure that the teams will be forced to produce superior products so that they can succeed in their given task. Moon travel is something we should all be interested in, and not just for the novelty. The surface of the moon is covered in silicone, which is the key component in the manufacturing of solar panels. Large solar panels in space could potentially provide most of the Earth's power consumption, making it especially attractive. In addition, the mineral composition of the moon is largely unexplored, meaning there could be significant stores of rare minerals which would be exceedingly useful on Earth. There is a potential stumbling block - the moon's possession is not exactly a solid thing. Governments and international regulatory bodies have not agreed on how property on the Earth's neighbour should be handled. There are debates over whether it should be considered 'common property' or states and individuals should be allowed to own pieces of the moon. Alreadt India, Japan, and China are circling the moon with satellites, and NASA is set to join them next year. With Google's Lunar X project, it remains to be seen what will be decided on the issue. We can all hope, however, that the moon is opened up to a productive use. Time will tell, but one thing is forsure - the future holds exciting prospects for our planet's little sister. To read more about the Google Lunar X Project visit Google's website on the project.