A year ago, the LunaTrex team of the Google Lunar X Prize had fallen apart, as reported here. The problem manifest itself when the warring members each tried to claim ownership of the LunaTrex name. The X Foundation, sponsor of the contest, suspended the team until it received clear evidence of ownership of the LunaTrex name and a clear statement of who was authorized to speak for the team.
It looks like that hasn’t happened. Registration of teams closed on December 31, 2010 and LunaTrex is not on the list of entrants. Meanwhile, the court just dismissed Cafasso’s claim for a breach of contract (there was, at most, an agreement to agree) and the remaining claims are on life support – the plaintiff must show cause by February 1, 2011 why summary judgment should not be granted to the defendants on all remaining claims, including the trademark ownership claim.
Peter Bitar, one of the defendants, had re-entered the contest with a new team, LUNARecon. It claims to have been a reconstitution of the LunaTrex team. But alas, it has withdrawn from the contest too.
Lunatrex, LLC v. Cafasso, No. 1:09-cv-1272-DFH-DML (S.D. Ind. Jan. 4, 2011).
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