A private mission to place telescopes at the South Pole of the Moon has been announced. The International Lunar Observatory (ILO)/Moon Express lander mission will carry the ILO telescope made by the International Lunar Observatory Association to the surface of the moon as early as 2016. Moon Express Inc will produce a lander for the mission which will also prospect for lunar mineral resources.
Before this flight occurs, the ILO Precursor mission (previiously announced in May) will fly to the moon to test the Moon Epxress landing systems and ILO-X telescope in 2015.
