MOFFETT FIELD, Calif., -- The X PRIZE Foundation will reveal the identities of a "Mystery Team" competing for the $30 million Google Lunar X PRIZE during a media briefing hosted at NASA's Ames Research Center on Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2008.

The Google Lunar X PRIZE is an international competition among privately funded teams to land a robotic craft on the moon. The craft must be capable of completing several mission objectives, including roaming the lunar surface for at least 500 meters and sending video, images and data back to Earth.

WHAT: Media briefing to announce members of the "Mystery Team" who will be competing for the Google Lunar X PRIZE.

WHERE: NASA Exploration Center located at NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif. The Exploration Center is the large white dome located near the main gate to Ames.

WHEN: 8:30 a.m. PST, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2008.

WHO: Gary Martin, director of the new ventures and communications directorate at NASA Ames; William Pomerantz, senior director X PRIZE Foundation and 'Mystery Team' members. Team members include a former astronaut and esteemed members from the academic, aerospace and small business communities.

Reporters interested in attending should contact Kim Newton at 650-604-5026 or Mike Mewhinney at 650-604-3937. To get to NASA Ames, take the Moffett Field/NASA Parkway exit off U.S. 101 and drive east to the main gate. As you approach the gate, bear right towards the Exploration Center, the large white dome. Parking is available behind the dome and no visitor badges are needed.

For information about the Google Lunar X PRIZE, visit:

http://www.googlelunarxprize.org