As the sole contestant in the Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge, Armadillo Aerospace's predictably named Armadillo managed to complete two parts of a NASA challenge to win $350,000 in prize money. However, on attempting the top task -- fly 50 meters up, fly 50 meters sideways, and land -- the Armadillo tripped up, plummeting to the ground and losing the chance to win $1 million. It'll get another chance today, although at least the team won't be rushed by the non-existent competitors. Packing 1,800 pounds of thrust to the vessel's 1,500 pound weight, the Armadillo is guided by GPS and other sensors: one day we could be taking trips to the moon in the distant, distant successor to this little beast.

[Via Crave]

If you're looking to get in on a piece of that X-Prize pie but find yourself lacking in that little requirement of aerospace engineering expertise, you now have a chance to make up for your chosen career path, with one team competing in the X-Prize's Lunar Lander Challenge offering up a piece of the action on eBay. While it's certainly a gamble, should the team actually win, the one lucky bidder could be taking home up to $650,000 in prize money, not to mention one of the two actual lunar lander vehicles set to take part in the competition. For your trouble, they'll also let you plaster your name or company logo on the sides of the craft. Of course, given that the only glimpse of the vehicle is the mockup seen after the break, the chances of it being ready for the X-Prize competition this October would seem to be a little slim, especially if the bidding stays at the current four digit level. If you've got deep enough pockets, however, you can swoop in a snag it outright for the Buy it Now price of $199,000, giving the team a seemingly much-needed shot in the arm.

[Via Uber-Review]