JP Aerospace Video Experiment

[jpowell]

Can videos fund missions?<br /><br />We've posted a bunch of videos on the Revver.com video shareing website. When people click on the ad at the end of the video we get a few pennies. <br /><br />Help keep us flying. Watch the videos, click the ads. We put up short versions of videos from the JPA website and new clips we've never shown before. <br /><br />Can a space program be funded with clicks instead of taxes? I'll let you know. <br /><br />Here's the link to the JPA videos at the Revver site:<br /><br />http://revver.com/browse.php?search=owner&keyword=jpowell<br /><br />Let me know what you think, good or bad.<br /><br />Thanks!!!!<br /><br />John Powell<br />JP Aerospace, America's OTHER Space Program<br />www.jpaerospace.com

 

[qso1]

Don't know if its a good or bad idea until you see what the results are. I think its well worth trying. I'd also add that since your not yet sending humans up, your chances of getting enough funds this way are much better. Humans into space is far more expensive but this might reduce that expense one day as well.<br /><br />Good luck and keep up the excellent work. <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>

 

[mithridates]

Hi, I like your company a lot and I hope you keep up the good work. The link doesn't seem to work though.<br /><br />...oh wait a second, the site's down for maintenance. Okay, I'll watch it later then. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>----- </p><p>http://mithridates.blogspot.com</p> </div>

 

[j05h]

Yes, videos (or micropayments) can work to fund spacecraft. I'm building a business (Postcards To Space) that is attempting the same, exclusively, to build space sculptures. If my numbers are correct, it can be done. Revver seems like an interesting service, good choice. <br /><br />Those are some cool videos. What kind of cameras do you use on the hi altitude shots? <br /><br />Josh <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div align="center"><em>We need a first generation of pioneers.</em><br /></div> </div>

 

[owenander]

I don't think you'd make enough on something like this (cpc is harder), I would try Google Adsense on your home page and try to get enough hits to where you get paid for impressions instead of clicks, that's where you start to make some money.

 

[j05h]

> I don't think you'd make enough on something like this (cpc is harder), I would try Google Adsense on your home page and try to get enough hits to where you get paid for impressions instead of clicks, that's where you start to make some money.<br /><br />I've run the numbers and the big sticking point for my project is marketting the Postcards and selling enough of them. I'm not particularly interested in becoming just another eyeball-service for Google (though am using Adwords). For JP, it really depends on how much moeny Revver provides per click. <br /><br />Can micropayments pay for spacecraft? We'll see.<br /><br />Josh <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div align="center"><em>We need a first generation of pioneers.</em><br /></div> </div>

 

[mrmorris]

Money from advertising is great way to fund spaceflight activities. Have you investigated going after advertising dollars in larger chunks via a modified PongSat mission?<br /><br />Ping Pong Balls (henceforth PPB) are pretty much vendor-generic -- or at least I don't know one manufacturer from another. However, IIRC from my childhood -- a golfball (once sliced open) consists of a shell very similar to a PPB wrapped around what looks like a bunch of rubber-bands formed into a ball. Discard the chewy center and you have the basis for a GolfBallSat... Said GolfBallSat flight is then a candidate to be subsidized heavily by Titleist, or Dunlop, or MaxFli, or Nike, or Prostaff, or... whoever returns your phone call with an interest and a dollar figure.<br /><br />If such a mission were to be investigated and a backer found -- try to contact some prominent golfers -- Tiger, of course, but others too. See if they'll autograph a few balls for you to be sent (still with their chewy center in this case) on the mission. Once back on the ground, they can be auctioned on your site and/or eBay. If the entire set of balls (presumably of the main backer's brand) is printed with the JP Aerospace logo and the mission name ( http://www.personalizedgolfballs.com/ ), then the autographed copies would likely fetch a hefty return.<br /><br />A second possibility, and a company that *really* has some advertising cash to spend is to send up a CokeCanSat mission (or PepsiCanSat, of course). The increased size makes for much fewer satellites, of course, but presumably more capable as well. However, I've seen (although I've never bought any, so dunno if they still exist) half-size cans in grocery stores. Couldn't say what the capacity was -- possibly 4-ounces? Even with them, you'd still only get a third or less the number of satellites on-board as PPB, but it still might be worth it.

 

[jpowell]

We use a Sony hi-8 for the inflight video. The new digital camcorders are lighter, but they have short durations. There are a few that have the longer duration, however they are a bit pricy for dropping from 100,000 feet.<br /><br />JP<br /><br />JP Aerospace, America's OTHER Space Program<br />www.jpaerospace.com

 

[j05h]

> We use a Sony hi-8 for the inflight video. <br /><br />That's excellent! Hi-8 was a great format in it's day. I still use a "Digital-8" Sony for personal video. Do you have any problems with the camera such as condensation or freezing at altitude? Do you just hit "Record" and pick the tape up when rocovering the craft?<br /><br />Josh <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div align="center"><em>We need a first generation of pioneers.</em><br /></div> </div>

 

[jpowell]

I've put three more videos up at the revver site. <br /><br />http://revver.com/browse.php?search=owner&keyword=jpowell<br /><br />The sony camcorder that survived a dozen missions to the edge of space, that was unfazed by being dropped 20 miles finally met it's doom. I tripped on the power cord and pulled it off the table, crashing it to the floor. What killed it was the open tape door. It bent on impact.<br /><br />Anyone want to trade a working old sony hi-8, for a broken one that's "been there"? I'll even throw in a dvd of videos shot with it.<br /><br />JP

 

[qso1]

I wish I had one. <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>

 

[jpowell]

Here are the results so far:<br /><br />Three weeks<br />19 videos<br />$100.33<br /><br />Keep clicking, I'll keep you posted.<br /><br />http://revver.com/browse.php?search=owner&keyword=jpowell<br /><br />JP<br /><br />JP Aerospace, America's OTHER Space Program<br />www.jpaerospace.com

 

[spacefire]

John, I ordered a piece of a crashed rocket to support you guys.<br />Hope I get something cool <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>http://asteroid-invasion.blogspot.com</p><p>http://www.solvengineer.com/asteroid-invasion.html </p><p> </p> </div>

 

[jpowell]

I have just the one for you. It's from a rocket we slammed into the desert at over Mach one. It has a chunk of the oak nose cone, airframe shells and bunch little bits of a completely obilterated GPS. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br />Here's a pic of the rocket on the way up.<br /><br />JP<br />www.jpaerospace.com<br />

 

[spacefire]

sounds yummy!!!! <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br />thanks <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>http://asteroid-invasion.blogspot.com</p><p>http://www.solvengineer.com/asteroid-invasion.html </p><p> </p> </div>

 

[jpowell]

Update:<br /><br />23 Videos<br />2825 viewings<br />$157.80<br /><br />It looks like it can pay a bill or two but not cover a mission.<br />It does generate more interest in the program.<br /><br /><br />http://revver.com/browse.php?search=owner&keyword=jpowell<br /><br />JP<br /><br />JP Aerospace, America's OTHER Space Program<br />www.jpaerospace.com

 

[mithridates]

You know, I think the video of falling from the edge of space could be a featured video on Youtube and that usually gets a video 100,000+ hits. For raw advertising power you can't beat that. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>----- </p><p>http://mithridates.blogspot.com</p> </div>

 

[PistolPete]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: you guys are doing an outstanding job doing 10 times as much on 1/10th the budget of even the new start-ups.<br /><br />Remember that when Steve Jobs was starting out, he wasn't trying to make the Ipod or the Mac, he was just trying to do what he could with the funding and technology he had available. The first Apple I's were made in Steve Wozniac's parents' garrage with parts from Radio Shack.<br /><br />You guys are pointing the right way for all of the new space start-ups. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><em>So, again we are defeated. This victory belongs to the farmers, not us.</em></p><p><strong>-Kambei Shimada from the movie Seven Samurai</strong></p> </div>

 

[j05h]

(this failed to post a couple days ago, trying again)<br /><br />I've been looking into video options, Revver is one as you've found out. Google Video is starting to share $ with video uploaders, starting with the 'Diet Coke & Mentos' guys. There are a few others but they are in Heavy Beta. Google is supposedly developing several different video-money systems. THere is also spacechannel.tv which has "spacedimes" for cool space video. <br /><br />Josh <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div align="center"><em>We need a first generation of pioneers.</em><br /></div> </div>

 

[jpowell]

The views have been slowing down, so we've made some changes. We've uploaded all the videos to YouTube. We've had more views in a day on than all the months on Revver.<br />Of course there is no money from YouTube.<br /><br />We're re-release all the videos to Revver with commentary. Just like movie DVD's. They'll have discriptions of what you're looking at.<br /><br />The first three videos with the comments are up:<br /><br />www.jpaerospace.com<br /><br />They're on the blog page.<br /><br />JP