One small step for man and one giant leap for robots. You could feel that sentiment from one of the first 10 teams to register for the Google Lunar X Prize, a robotic race to the moon with $30 million in prizes.

International teams will compete to land a privately funded robot craft on the moon and roam the lunar surface for at least 500 meters while sending video, images and data back to Earth.

“We are excited that 10 teams from around the world have taken up the challenge of the Google Lunar X Prize,” said Megan Smith, Google’s vice president for new business development. “We look forward to the exciting achievements and scientific advancements that will result from the efforts of these teams as they participate in the next great space race.”

‘Creative and Entrepreneurial Minds’

Dr. Peter H. Diamandis, chairman and CEO of the X Prize Foundation, reported a strong response to the competition. Six months after Google and the foundation announced the race to the moon, 567 groups from 53 nations have expressed interest. By comparison, at the six-month point of the Ansari X Prize, only two teams had registered.

“I think we are going to see an exciting and very competitive race to the moon, highlighted by some very creative designs unlike anything we have seen come out of the government space programs,” Diamandis said. “Many of these teams represent some of the most creative and entrepreneurial minds in space exploration today. I wish them all the very best of luck. I can’t wait to join with Google in paying the winner.”

There’s plenty at stake in this race. The $30 million purse is divided into a $20 million grand prize, a $5 million second prize and $5 million in bonus prizes. To win the grand prize, a team must…