Space Scientists Looking To Crowd-Fund Planetary Exploration

The Bad Astronomer writes "The White House budget for NASA in 2013 is bleak, with big cuts in many areas. None is worse hit than planetary exploration, which got slammed with a 20% reduction. Several top-notch space scientists have taken matters into their own hands, looking to create a privately-funded alternative for space exploration. Called Uwingu — Swahili for 'sky' — they're hoping to get seed money to create a program which can generate millions in donations to explore our solar system. Astronomer Pamela Gay has more info at her blog, Star Stryder."

Comments

Donate $2 billion, get this free coffee mug

[crazyjj]

Considering that SETI couldn't even raise $2 million a year, I'm thinking we need to offer more incentives on this one. A $1 billion donation gets you a nice tote bag. $2 billion gets you the mug.

Re:Donate $2 billion, get this free coffee mug

[Flipstylee]

I like what SETI is doing, but we're talking actual science here, the kind that allows us to learn.
In order to conduct science, we need to fund it. Rant aside, this is important enough that i for one will contribute to the cause. AstronomyCast FTW.

Re:Donate $2 billion, get this free coffee mug

[Anonymous Coward]

Additionally, whoever came up with the name "Uwingu" for a space program should be smacked in the mouth with a rolled-up newspaper.

Here's why - Space exploration pushes the limits of our scientific and technological prowess. "Challenger," "Spirit," "Opportunity," "Virgin Galactic," "SpaceX," "Voyager." Those names are what a good space program should sound like. "Uwingu" sounds like the ookings of a gorilla resting on his haunches and chewing on a grub in the midst of third-world filth. It evokes action of a primate Uwinging / from tree to tree / but only in between / poo flinging. Shit, I could make a rap song from that last verse.

-- Ethanol-fueled

Re:Correct me if I'm wrong...

[squidflakes]

Private capital is rarely transparent and often has more strings attached than most people realize. Also, the ROI on space exploration projects is so low and spread over such a long time period that no private capital group in their right mind would ever fund it, let alone convince other investors.

Don't forget about rover Opportunity!

[redizhot]

Planetory exploration, our eyes where we can't reach yet, here's a great piece on the rover Opportunity, who's still collecting valuable data that is no doubt shaping the future of planetory exploration as we know it. http://www.frequency.com/video/sciencecasts-first-extraterrestrial/53770551/-/4-196655 Little guy still chugging away. :) I feel the returns on these explorations will pay out big dividends years down the road, but not if they don't get the funding. I think privatization will be a great way to get the money needed as the commercial potential of these future space businesses could be an enormous jackpot, with the right technology and the right deal. I'm not sure how governments don't see that potential.

Re:Correct me if I'm wrong...

[Nyeerrmm]

You're assuming its an investment, not a donation. A decent planetary science mission will cost $500M in NASA dollars. Take out federal procurement and the endemic requirement growth and you can imagine a worthwhile mission for $300M.

As Ed Lu (B612 Foundation CEO who is launching the Sentinel mission) pointed out in a recent talk, this is an equivalent amount to a new wing in an art museum -- not insignificant, but not impossible. The conversation he had with a fundraiser went like this:
    Fundraiser: "So you can really launch something into an orbit around the sun???"
    Ed Lu: "Of course. You can really raise $300M in donations???"

A science mission won't return a monetary investment, and no one should expect it to. This doesn't mean that you can't fund it as you would other public works projects.

Re:Have a 'dry' day.

[Overzeetop]

And have a good fraction of three hundred million people who should be drunk walking around stone cold sober? You, sir, are putting us on a collision course with certain destruction.

Open source

[trout007]

Just curious. If someone at NASA put out some requirements for a small subsystem how many people here would work on helping develop it in their spare time? I've tried to make this point. There are some things that can be crowd sourced. I think the public could get involved if the ITAR stuff could be avoided.

For example let's say a bracket was needed to hold a sensor. NASA could post the mass, size and Interface for the sensor and list the shock and vib requirements. Then let whoever wants to submit a design with analysis. Then the responsible engineer could review them and pick a design.

Re:Open source

[erice]

Just curious. If someone at NASA put out some requirements for a small subsystem how many people here would work on helping develop it in their spare time? I've tried to make this point. There are some things that can be crowd sourced. I think the public could get involved if the ITAR stuff could be avoided.

For example let's say a bracket was needed to hold a sensor. NASA could post the mass, size and Interface for the sensor and list the shock and vib requirements. Then let whoever wants to submit a design with analysis. Then the responsible engineer could review them and pick a design.

Or he could design it himself in less time than it takes to write the detailed specs and vet the submissions.

Re:Open source

[coofercat]

FWIW, I'd love to see this sort of thing. Even if "the crowd" only ended up designing the hangar they store the rocket in before it goes to the launch pad or whatever, it's still part of the whole picture, and you can't do space exploration without boring things like hangars and brackets.

However, as someone else points out, the specs required would be so detailed you could probably design the thing in less time than writing the specs. There might be some room for crowd sourced testing though ("Hey, we made a piece of this magic rope for the space elevator. See if you can snap it!" ;-)

Re:Correct me if I'm wrong...

[openfrog]

Sorry to reply to my own post, but...

I am at the University of Cambridge, where outreach activities are quite valued among academics. The Raspberry Pi originates from here, among other educational interesting ideas. I could suggest of few names to help form a committee. Contact me.

Mod parent troll

[fiannaFailMan]

"Uwingu" sounds like the ookings of a gorilla resting on his haunches and chewing on a grub in the midst of third-world filth. It evokes action of a primate Uwinging / from tree to tree / but only in between / poo flinging

You are a disgusting, disgraceful, half-educated racist motherfucker. Just thought you should know.