Lunar Mission One, “the most inspirational Moon project since the Apollo landings” is giving us the chance to reserve our place in space. Within the next decade or so, Lunar Missions Ltd. – the British company behind the venture – will send an unmanned robotic lander to the moon. It will carry with it a time capsule, housing “digital memory boxes” to be buried there.
The expedition will utilize innovative technology to drill at least 20m (and up to 100m) below the moon’s surface. By doing so, scientists will be able to examine an unexplored area, and access lunar rock dating back to as early as 4.5 billion years ago. The drilling will continue for three to four months, before the spacecraft finally lowers the time capsule in place.
In order to fund the project, Lunar Mission Ltd – the British company behind the venture – is turning to Kickstarter for help. The initial phase of a 10-year long preparation period will require £600,000 in funding, which will finance the marketing, design and development of the mission.
By rallying support from crowd funding campaigns, “anyone from around the world can get involved,” said David Iron, Founder of Lunar Missions Ltd. Thus with a pledge of £60 ($94) or more, you will receive a voucher redeemable for a “place in space” – either in the form of a digital memory box for photographs, music and video files or actual, physical space for strands of hair.
A number of institutions around the globe will also work together to compile a “public archive” containing a history of civilization and a survey of Earth’s biosphere. According to the project backers, this information will be accessible online for use as an educational tool and research tool.
But those are just some of the perks of becoming part of the Lunar Missions Club. By participating in the Kickstarter campaign, you will also be directly involved in the expedition: at key points through out the coming decade, members will be informed about key decisions and receive exclusive updates and information about the project.
As Iron states, “[The mission] will make a huge contribution to our understanding of the origins of our planet and the moon, and will inspire a generation to learn more about space, science and engineering.”
Who can pass up a sweet deal like that?
To check out Lunar Mission One on Kickstarter, click here.
