The Romanian Space Association (ARCA) has joined the Google Lunar X competition for the first privately funded team to send a robot to the moon. The rocket powered supersonic the Romanian team is building for the competition has been named IAR 111. The team should finalize works on the supersonic mid-2012 and the first test flight is scheduled for the first half of 2013. The airplane is able to take off from the sea and transport the Haas II launcher to an altitude of 16,000 meters.

In October last year, ARCA launched the first Romanian space rocket, Helen 2, thus making the first flight of the Google Lunar X prize, and officially entering the competition. The prize is of USD 30 million for the first privately funded team to send a robot to the moon, travel 500 meters and transmit video, images and data back to the Earth, with 29 registered teams competing.

Irina Laptoiu, irina.laptoiu@romania-insider.com