This project is an example of Telepresence: The projection of human minds to space, of being here (Earth) and there (the Moon). As George Friedman, best-selling author and geopolitical forecaster says: “Telepresence will be an indispensable technology on the moon, bringing the human mind to the moon, while allowing the human body to remain on the earth.”
Limitless Telepresence, working in collaboration with the University of California, San Diego’s Innovation Center and San Diego State University’s VizCenter — among other universities, brands, and industry — is excited to announce the first in an ambitious series of lunar-focused competitions, contests, and events to expand the concept of telepresence for the good of humankind. Robert Harkins, SDSU’s VizCenter Director, refers to the center as “a gateway to the Moon … and a collaborative space where scientists, students, and community members come together to turn imagination into reality.”
The first 3-year project will start in 2026 with the creation of a lunar diorama studio that includes ever-changing models of the lunar terrain, a lunar rover design contest, and global livestreaming telepresence. By summer 2026 teams from all over the world will begin the competition to build miniature lunar rovers to be tested on the diorama, then tested for space-rating – and tested by people all over the world by driving them with their own smartphones! In 2028 the ten winning rovers will be transported to the moon where they will be livestreamed for global viewing, with 24,000 people on earth taking turns driving them!
In addition to the contest participants designing rovers, starting November 1st, 2025, Limitless Telepresence will begin accepting reservations for the limited number of slots of lunar operational time: Ten slots valued at $25k for 10 hours of remote lunar rover operations and one hundred slots valued at $2500 for 1 hour of lunar rover driving.*
Once the contest starts then remote access to the diorama will be provided to the design teams and those who have signed up for the 110* limited slots. Next, Limitless Telepresence will begin subscription service that will offer remote lunar rover training and up to 15 minutes of lunar rover drivetime plus up to 15 minutes a month of remote driving of the rovers on the earth-based lunar diorama using smartphones.
Participation in both the contest and the reserved blocks will be open to all: individuals, schools, industry, government agencies. Temporary blackout of diorama sessions for experiments may occur but generally live streaming from the diorama, and point of view of the rovers, will be available 24/7 globally from the sponsors at no charge.
Limitless Telepresence founder David H. Mitchell says that the team mission is “to promote an interest in telepresence and the significant impact it can make. After all, telepresence means: Anyone Anywhere Accomplishing Anything Anytime. If you can drive a rover on the moon using your smartphone, imagine all we can do in Space, on the Moon, and on Earth!”
www.LimitlessTelepresence.com and www.MindsToSpace.com
* An additional 100 slots will be held aside for teams, advisors, sponsors, contest winners, charity, and philanthropy
