Science Channel & Discovery Channel To Broadcast Live Moon Landing

The wave of video-documented big live stunts triggered by Felix Baumgartner’s space jump continues. Science Channel and Discovery Channel are teaming for an “Apollo Moment” for the millennial generation, televising a live moon landing. The networks have announced that they will be TV partners for Google Lunar XPRIZE, a $30 million competition for privately funded teams to land an unmanned craft on the moon by December 31, 2015. The networks will air a miniseries that will follow teams from around the world as they race to fulfill the mission requirements: to land a craft on the surface of the moon, travel 500 meters, and transmit live pictures and video back to Earth. That includes testing, lift-off, and live coverage of the winning lunar landing, which is estimated to take place in 2015. “More than half the world’s population has never had the opportunity to experience a live broadcast from the moon,” said Robert K. Weiss, vice chairman and president of XPRIZE. “Partnering with Discovery Channel and Science Channel will allow us to engage the public around this milestone event, creating an ‘Apollo Moment’ for the next generation.” Discovery’s live event specials include Nik Wallenda’s Skywire and the upcoming Everest Jump Live. Meanwhile, there are two reality series in the works that follow mission to colonize Mars.

Related: Nat Geo Announces Live Space Special