Funding of Space

[mystex]

I just read the article on Space.com about holding a space lottery to help fund our progress into space. <br /><br />I have to admit it makes a lot of sense. I know I'd pay to play a space lottery with a chance at any number of prizes. Plus if the proceeds went to fund a private space program, perhaps run by a non-profit we could all benefit.

 

[qso1]

Lottery would be a good thing no doubt but the most likely avenue at this point is for private enterprise to take over development of lower cost access to space. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong>My borrowed quote for the time being:</strong></p><p><em>There are three kinds of people in life. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen...and those who do not know what happened.</em></p> </div>

 

[freeshark]

Yeah it IS cool, But how many tickets, How many chances to win and and how much per ticket?<br /><br />Dave

 

[grooble]

There is no way it'd have the draw of a conventional lottery. I mean what do you win, 5 minutes in space? I'd rather pay my house off. If it was a trip to the moon it'd be different, its the difference between being on a boat in the atlantic ocean and visiting the south pole, an adventure of a life time, which i'd like to do actually, but it costs $45,000.

 

[rocketman5000]

It could be held over a much longer time period than a conventional lottery and I believe it would only be successful for several launchs when the entrants would grow tired of not winning.

 

[mlorrey]

Hold on a second. No reason to be grumpy. The Powerball Lottery generally starts off with about 10-12 million dollar kitty. Presuming that a similar accumulating kitty system is used, there could be a ladder of prizes possible: <br />$1-19 million: suborbital trip for you and four friends.<br />$20-39 million: a weeks vacation on ISS/Bigelow Space Suites<br />$40-59 million: weeks vacation for two in orbit<br />$60-99 million: weeks vacation for family of four<br />$100 million+: circumlunar cruise<br /><br />Smaller prize for matching five of six numbers: suborbital trip for 2. <br /><br />Any funds above actual trip costs are tradable for suborbital trip tickets value for value or held in escrow for future commercial space flight tickets at lower prices.

 

[rocketman5000]

Interesting concept of graduation. I believe that the technology and the launch systems for each level would have to be available at the time of the lottery ticket sales however for a large buy in from enthusists

 

[mystex]

Your graduated system seems to offer definite possiblities. Of course the whole thing would need to be flexible enough to adjust to changes in technology and what was available. Hell once it becomes possible to live in space whether continuously on a station or on the moon they could offer that as an incentive. One chance to become a lunar citizen. I know I'd gladly pay for that privealge. <br /><br />I think it would be great to to for the lottery to offer special scholarships or the like to encourage students to go into technical or engineering fields. <br /><br />Plus just think of the publicity. Who wouldn't want to have a chance to become an astronaut for a short time in their life.

 

[mlorrey]

One reason I placed them high is that the purpose of the lottery is to raise funds for space technology development, too. Virgin is going to be charging $249k, so putting its threshold for a single ticket at $500k is a reasonable point, given what we see with state run lotteries that fund education.