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TransOrbital: The Commercial Race To The Moon

Posted by timothy on from the selling-you-the-moon dept.

apsmith writes: "Some of the companies that were preparing for a race to commercialize space and return to the moon (like Idealab's "Blastoff.com") have vanished with the stock market meltdown. But TransOrbital, a privately held company, is still plugging away, and claims to be on schedule for launch in the 4th quarter of 2001. The funding model seems to be generating lots of pretty pictures and selling them. Though for just $2500 you can also send your business card to the Moon!" Sounds like they've pushed their schedule a little bit since last mention, but considering the scope of the project, nearly any launch date would still be respectable.

8 of 174 comments (clear)

  1. My card on the moon...ok... by ackthpt · · Score: 4, Funny
    Now who has the burden of proof here? Does TransOrbital prove to me that my card is sitting on the moon (or in a well staged sandbox in New Jersey, filled with the grey dust that comes out of vacuum cleaners) or do I have to prove that it's not (in fact sitting in tiny strips under a paper shredder in New Jersey) .. Or .. should I just have faith and go around puffing about what a .biz stud I am that my card is on the moon?


    If you had to ask me (which, of course you don't) these are more impressive at least someone can break into a house with one, in say, New Jersey.

    --

    A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
    1. Re:My card on the moon...ok... by ethereal · · Score: 2, Funny
      I have no desire to even put myself in space. I have always believed that after the 0-gravity novelty wears off you would be quite bored.

      That's only if you forgot to bring a friend of the appropriate gender...

      --

      Your right to not believe: Americans United for Separation of Church and

  2. well jeez... by turbine216 · · Score: 2, Funny

    ...transorbital just hired a guy with about a dozen TV movie-of-the-week credits as their marketing director!!! And with the success that those made-for-tv-miniseries-pieces-of-crap generate, is it really any wonder that TransOrbital is selling "product" as well as they are? I mean come on, if the guy can push "Runaway Father" on a generally mindless tv-viewing public, then he can sell ANYTHING!!!

  3. Message to the moon by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Only $50/page -- I really hope someone gets the DeCSS source code engraved on one of those disks!

  4. Spaceweed? by dragonfly_blue · · Score: 2, Funny

    I suppose you could grow some plants hydroponically... How many seeds are in a gram? Do they charge you based on weight on takeoff, or weight upon landing? Or is it the average of the two...hmm. The mind boggles.

    On the other hand, what are the chances of your payload actually returning intact? Reminds me of Homer and the floating potato chips. Spacemunchies, anyone?

    --
    Free music from Jack Merlot.
  5. return ticket ? by hrstrand · · Score: 5, Funny

    at $2500 pr. gram, It would be something like $350M to send Steve Balmer up there on a one way ticket. Maybe we should all throw in a buck or two ?

    --
    play ManagerSim - free online soccer manager
    1. Re:return ticket ? by Tackhead · · Score: 2, Funny
      > at $2500 pr. gram, It would be something like $350M to send Steve Balmer up there on a one way ticket. Maybe we should all throw in a buck or two ?

      Yeah, but having seen that Monkey Dance video, are you sure he wouldn't just jump up and down on the lunar surface until he finally achieved lunar escape velocity?

  6. Re:It's A Scam by dstone · · Score: 3, Funny

    Kook-maintained web-sites don't require a tone of overhead last I checked

    Actually, I've heard that kook-maintained web-sites generally enjoy a 2600Hz tone overhead. Though rhythmic bass tones can also be nice.

    2600.com