Space technology startup Team Indus, the only Indian entry in the Google Lunar XPRIZE competition, is working on an audacious attempt to land a rover on the moon. In tandem with their mission, the startup launched a competition of their own – Lab2Moon – which gives students a chance to create an independent project that will fly to the moon.

The startup’s entry in Google Lunar XPRIZE is building a privately funded spacecraft capable of soft landing on the Moon by 2017. The Lab2Moon competition gives the chance for an independent project to go on-board their spacecraft. The competition is open for students in the age group 14-25 and a team can have a maximum of three members. The rules state that the independent project should weigh less than 250 grams and fit the size of a 330 ml soda. It should also be able to connect with the computer on- board. Speaking at the launch of the event, a Team Indus representative said, “We want innovative ideas to come through. 14-year olds think without being affected by years of studying and sometimes surprise us with really innovative ideas.”

Interested participants have to log on to the Lab2Moon website and upload a 2-minute video explaining why they should fly to the moon. Shortlisted entries will have five months to build a prototype and present it to a jury of five international space personalities at Bengaluru in January 2016. The winning project will be on-board the aircraft Team Indus is building for the competition and fly to the moon in 2017. Team Indus won $1million as a milestone prize which made them one of the top three teams competing with other teams worldwide.

Google Lunar XPRIZE was created in 2007. A $30 million prize purse will be awarded to teams who are able to land a privately funded rover on the moon, travel 500 meters, and transmit back high definition video and images. Team Indus’ mission will also be the first opportunity for a non-government spacecraft to fly to the moon since 1976.