LOS ANGELES - A TEAM of California rocketeers has won a US$1 million (S$1.4 million) prize in a simulated lunar landing contest backed by Nasa.

The X Prize Foundation said on Monday that Mojave, California-based Masten Space Systems had a better landing accuracy than was achieved by Armadillo Aerospace of Rockwall, Texas, which got US$500,000 for second place.

The teams flew robotic rockets that had to rise more than 49m, stay aloft for at least 180 seconds while traveling to a rocky landing pad, and then fly back to the starting point.

Nasa put up US$2 million in prizes for the Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge as an incentive to spur development of technology by space entrepreneurs.

In a less-demanding lower level of the competition, Armadillo was first and won US$350,000 while Masten got US$150,000 for second place. -- AP