ExoTerra.org

[Kirsten]

Here's a new funding source for commercial and non-profit space ventures:

http://www.exoterra.org/

I thought this was a really cool idea, but I'm not sure how much money it can generate. Anyone think this will take off?

[K6-III]

It'll raise something. I'm afraid it won't be enough to make a difference.

[neubjr]

I like the idea. But I think something like this has been tried before... maybe they can be successful, but they will have to be VERY good at marketting their credit card, and I think they'll also need to move to more than just the credit card idea before too long. hopefully it does pick up a little bit. It could at least help some minor projects a bit. Get a few smaller proposals a little jump to do something that they wouldn't be able to before.

Joshua.

[Founder_TTI]

I'm hoping that they make headway. IMHO, the only way we will see true space exploration and colonization in the next 50 years is if the private sector does it. Think back on all great explorations. Did the government pay for the push west in the US (1800s)? No, they may have made some enticements but they did not fund it. There was no "NASA" for people wanting to move west.

Columbus got funding under the stipulation that anything he found would belong to Spain and her Queen. Not a very fair trade off.

If anyone is serious about "getting into space" then there needs to be a dedicated, privately held organization to get us there.

[budcamp]

I'm afraid you have not really studied your history.

If you read some of Columbus's papers you will see he had plans for Great wealth. He just didn’t find any gold. The queen and all monarchs afterwards got “The Royal Fifth”. Twenty-percent!

The government didn’t carry the people West, but they did dig the necessary canals, build the roads, chart the area, finance the railroads and provide military guards and civilian law enforcement. In other words, the government handled all of the major costs of the Westward Expansion. They will have to do the same for expansion into space.

I would bet, any money made by that credit card plan will go for administration costs (read saleries) and nothing or next to nothing will be left over for anything else.