Even if you don't quite share the futuristic and intergalactically
adventurous ambitions of, say, Newt Gingrich, you might find something to like
in projects like Moon Express. Founded by billionaire Naveen Jain, one of
Microsoft 's (NASDAQ: MSFT ) first developers and the cofounder of InfoSpace
(NASDAQ: INSP ), Moon Express is developing a rocket and lunar lander system
that will enable the company to mine helium-3, an environmentally friendly fuel
that is rare on Earth but plentiful on the moon, and platinum, another material
relatively abundant on our biggest satellite. The mission's transport, lunar
rovers, and robotics systems, which include the CSB Lander, a $20 million hunk
of gear that weighs about 200 pounds (on Earth), are being designed using
Autodesk 3D software, the company says. Abiding by the motto "the moon is
me," Moon Express has been working hard on project development in an effort to
win the $30 million Lunar X-Prize sponsored by Google (NYSE: GOOG ). The first
launch is scheduled for 2013, at which point Newt might have enough time on his
hands to take a ride to the moon and back. Richard Defendorf, IP.com staff
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