Private firm plans to sell $1.5 billion trips to the moon - Polidicks

[QUOTE]article: [url]http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/private-firm-plans-to-sell-15-billion-trips-to-the-moon-last-lunar-visit-40-years-ago/2012/12/06/79bee82c-3fd0-11e2-8a5c-473797be602c_story.html[/url] [IMG]http://www.washingtonpost.com/rf/image_606w/2010-2019/Wires/Online/2012-12-06/AP/Images/Private%20Space%20Moon.JPEG-0199e.jpg[/IMG] Attention wealthy nations and billionaires: A team of former NASA executives will fly you to the moon in an out-of-this-world commercial venture combining the wizardry of Apollo and the marketing of Apple. For a mere $1.5 billion, the business is offering countries the chance to send two people to the moon and back, either for research or national prestige. And if you are an individual with that kind of money to spare, you too can go the moon for a couple days. Some space experts, though, are skeptical of the firm’s financial ability to get to the moon. The venture called Golden Spike Co. was announced Thursday. Dozens of private space companies have started up recently, but few if any will make it — just like in other fields — said Harvard astronomer Jonathan McDowell, who tracks launches worldwide. “This is unlikely to be the one that will pan out,” McDowell said.[/QUOTE] 1.5 billion ... to visit the moon. Hm. Not too sure about that one...

Look, there's nobody who would pay that much, it doesn't matter how wealthy you are.

do i get a discount if i buy two

Can I pay after?

How about we set up a moonbase and maybe a space elevator first before we start sending random rich people to the moon. Is this such a silly idea?

[QUOTE=EvilMattress;38731584]How about we set up a moonbase and maybe a space elevator first before we start sending random rich people to the moon.[/QUOTE] Getting people interesting in going to the moon is the first step to getting a base up there. And rich people will get bored with their trip since there's nothing to burn money on at the moon so they will build a moon casino and then there will be crime and then the government will need to send authorities to the moon to apprehend the criminal and then when they get murdered the government will build a moon base far away so that order may come to the space civilization.

[QUOTE=Reds;38731346]Look, there's nobody who would pay that much, it doesn't matter how wealthy you are.[/QUOTE] Keep in mind they are making this kind of offer to governments, not just individual people.

What are these space elevators and why do they sound like they don't make any sense at all to me. Are they like some elevators to lift rockets high into the atmosphere, requiring less fuel and delta-v to get into orbit?

What they don't tell you is that it's a one way trip, and out of a cannon.

[QUOTE=Garik;38731768]What are these space elevators and why do they sound like they don't make any sense at all to me. Are they like some elevators to lift rockets high into the atmosphere, requiring less fuel and delta-v to get into orbit?[/QUOTE] Theoretically, using a geo-stationary object in orbit as a counterweight, you could attatch a long wire and have an elevator-type vehicle ascend and descend it. There are about a million very difficult problems to solve before it can become a reality though.

[QUOTE=Reds;38731346]Look, there's nobody who would pay that much, it doesn't matter how wealthy you are.[/QUOTE] If I had the cash, I would. You know how amazing that would be?

[QUOTE=Garik;38731768]What are these space elevators and why do they sound like they don't make any sense at all to me. Are they like some elevators to lift rockets high into the atmosphere, requiring less fuel and delta-v to get into orbit?[/QUOTE] [img]http://i.imgur.com/ZBf9b.jpg[/img] It's an elevator to a space station basically.

[QUOTE=Not_Yet;38731350]do i get a discount if i buy two[/QUOTE] Yup. 1.5 billion for the first one and only a measly 1,499,999,999 for the second trip.

Uh, pretty sure NASA sent people to moon for $20M, didn't they? [editline]6th December 2012[/editline] Nevermind, it was 20-35 million for visiting the ISS.

[QUOTE=aydin690;38732468]Uh, pretty sure NASA sent people to moon for $20M, didn't they? [editline]6th December 2012[/editline] Nevermind, it was 20-35 million for visiting the ISS.[/QUOTE] When? The initial sending people to the moon was about a $23-25 billion project back in the 60s. Okay, I saw your edit lol. That clears that up.

[QUOTE=Reds;38731346]Look, there's nobody who would pay that much, it doesn't matter how wealthy you are.[/QUOTE] Speak for yourself, shit sounds live. If I had 2 bil to blow hell yeah I'd go to the moon. If I die, I die as one cool ass mother fucker.

At first I thought they were saying they were planning to go to the moon 1.5 billion times

Uh, SpaceX could probably do this for 1.4 billion less.

I'd rather pay an extra billion and get NASA to land a rover named after me on another planet.. >.>

[QUOTE=Bradyns;38732801]I'd rather pay an extra billion and get NASA to land a rover named after me on another planet.. >.>[/QUOTE] I'd pay an extra 2 billion for them to carve my name into another planet with a rover named after you.

[QUOTE=Daniel M;38732731]Uh, SpaceX could probably do this for 1.4 billion less.[/QUOTE] spacex isn't that cheap what are you on do you know how much the rockets cost?

[QUOTE=DesolateGrun;38733599]spacex isn't that cheap what are you on do you know how much the rockets cost?[/QUOTE] [url]http://www.zmescience.com/space/spacex-founder-500-000-trip-mars/[/url] Pretty sure they will get you to the moon and back fairly cheap

Oh, a misread there, it's 1.5 billion for 2 people. I've got 750mil lying under the bed I think, anyone want to put in the other half and join me.

Soon we will hear news about rich arab princes on the moon with their buggatis and oil.

[QUOTE=DesolateGrun;38733599]spacex isn't that cheap what are you on do you know how much the rockets cost?[/QUOTE] SpaceX can do a visit to the ISS for about $25 million.

A two-way trip to the moon is 6 days. So you're paying 250 MILLION per day of that cruise.

[QUOTE=Daniel M;38732731]Uh, SpaceX could probably do this for 1.4 billion less.[/QUOTE] I think you are overestimating SpaceX.

[QUOTE=ScottyWired;38736615]A two-way trip to the moon is 6 days. So you're paying 250 MILLION per day of that cruise.[/QUOTE] Also its not just orbiting a capsule, its using a rocket with mulitple stages to land on the moon and have a stage to get back. In what world is that 100 million dollars

Can I setup a 150 year payment plan?

Just put it on my credit card.