Crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter and Patreon have seen major successes over the past few years. Products and projects that would never have found a home otherwise have seen millions of dollars thrown their way thanks to a good sales pitch and the kindness of strangers. Now an entrepreneur, a spacecraft designer, and a host of engineers are looking to get their idea off the ground — and literally, at that.
Project Moonspike has taken to Kickstarter with one goal in mind: to send a rocket to the moon. But instead of carrying astronauts or probes, the intent is to have it carry data; photos and videos are welcome as a means to transport the thoughts and memories of Earthlings to their lunar destination. The project takes its name from the tiny titanium spike used to cart the data into space — and once the finished rocket orbits the planet, it’ll make its final blastoff and touch down, and then transmit data back to terra firma.
It’s an ambitious project, but comes with plenty of challenges as a result. The most notable one is funding; the campaign has set a goal of one million dollars, which means it needs much more support if it’s going to launch. Even then, there’s still the question of whether or not the Moonspike team can successfully build a rocket, let alone a working one. One can hope, though; if the project works out, it could leave a big mark in the world of space travel.
