Golden Spike space venture wants to fly you to the moon ... for $1.4 billion
Source: NBC
A group of space veterans and big-name backers today took the wraps off the Golden Spike Company, a commercial space venture that aims to send paying passengers to the moon and back at an estimated price of $1.4 billion or more for two.
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Golden Spike's announcement came on the eve of the 40th anniversary of the launch of Apollo 17, the last manned moonshot. Backers of the plan, including former NASA executive Alan Stern and former Apollo flight director Gerry Griffin, discussed the company's strategy at a National Press Club briefing in Washington.
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Stern, a planetary scientist who was NASA's associate administrator for science in 2007-2008, is Golden Spike's president and CEO, while Griffin is chairman of the board. Other board members include new-space entrepreneur Esther Dyson and Taber McCallum, co-founder and CEO of Paragon Space Development Corp. The lineup of advisers taps into a who's who of space figures, including former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former NASA shuttle program manager Wayne Hale, former NASA engineer Homer Hickam and Bill Richardson, who has served as U.N. ambassador, energy secretary and the governor of New Mexico.
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"Were not just about America going back to the moon; were about American industry and American entrepreneurial spirit leading the rest of the world to an exciting era of human lunar exploration," Stern said in the venture's first news release. "Its the 21st century, were here to help countries, companies, and individuals extend their reach in space, and we think well see an enthusiastic customer manifest developing.
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Read more: http://cosmiclog.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/06/15731458-golden-spike-space-venture-wants-to-fly-you-to-the-moon-for-14-billion
Scabby57
(15 posts)hrmjustin
(71,265 posts)Faygo Kid
(21,478 posts)They can afford it. I vote they save money and make it a one-way trip.
Earth_First
(14,910 posts)I personally could care less that billionaire space travel is now a reality for he financial elite.
There is far too much to worry about here on planet Earth.
thelordofhell
(4,569 posts)You just have to sass him hard enough
Lucky Luciano
(11,257 posts)are_you_serious_1234
(54 posts)Bang, zoom...
name not needed
(11,660 posts)greiner3
(5,214 posts)There are 100 people 'worth' at least 10 billion. I'd say the number of billionaires worth at least 5 billion might approach double that.
So there are 200 people that fit into the possible 'demographic.'
I base this on someone who would spend, at a minimum, 33% of their net worth.
Kaleva
(36,312 posts)I would want that questioned answered before handing over such a great amount of money.
1620rock
(2,218 posts)This is about the only time I would endorse such an endeavor of this magnitude where the private sector could reap millions if not billions in revenue.
The fact that we abandoned the moon 40 years ago to divert money, research, and effort into stupid fucking wars is a disgrace. If NASA and the govt. won't foot the bill for this, than let private enterprise go for it, and I wish them well.
aquart
(69,014 posts)are_you_serious_1234
(54 posts)May need to increase.
Remmah2
(3,291 posts)Complete with TSA body cavity check?