Two United States cable television networks are apparently planning to set up shop on the moon, starting in 2015.

The Discovery Channel and Science Channel have joined the Google Lunar XPrize initiative, a $30-million project with the goal of getting a mission back to the Lunar surface by Dec. 31 of that year.

Founded as a way to challenge and inspire engineers and entrepreneurs from around the world to develop low-cost methods of robotic space exploration, the groundbreaking contest currently has more than 20 international teams, all vying to get their robotic spacecraft to the moon first.

In order to win the top award, however, a privately funded team must not only successfully place a robot that explores an area at least 1,640 feet, or three-tenths of a mile, on the surface of Earth's biggest natural satellite, but also transmits high-definition video and images back to their home world.

The two channels will reportedly document the efforts of several teams as prepare, test and launch missions, according to a report by The Sydney Morning Herald. Coverage of the contest would, of course, include coverage of the mission liftoff, as well as the winning lunar landing, which Discovery and Science's group vice-president Eileen O'Neill said will present "all the ingredients of fantastic television."

'When the winning craft "touches down on the moon's surface, it's going to trigger buzz and inspiration all over the world," said O'Neill. "Our intention is to provide a live, front-row seat to history being made ... stakes, competition, big characters, and mind-blowing visuals."

For the Discovery Channel, particularly, there promises to be significant commercial value in being included in live stunts, packaged into TV events.

The channel was a broadcast partner to the 'Skywire,' a televised event that saw acrobat Nik Wallenda walk across Niagara Falls on a highwire -- and attracted an estimated 13 million viewers.