Space lottery

Considering the size of the prizes in some American lotteries, I am
wondering why a Space Lottery has not been mooted? If you take the cost of a
Falcon 9 (~50M BALLPARK figure), with the cost of an Apollo (or Gemini, or
Mercury or Soyuz) clone (~50M ???? just guessing) then the total figure is
still less than some of the colossal payouts seen in lotteries around the
world.

So how about it - Announcing the Skyways Space Lottery, open to the
residents of the Earth.
First prize, a ticket on an orbital space flight courtesy of SpaceX, the
company that brought space to the Citizens of the World.

Could be done, no?

"blart" wrote in
:

Considering the size of the prizes in some American lotteries, I am
wondering why a Space Lottery has not been mooted? If you take the
cost of a Falcon 9 (~50M BALLPARK figure), with the cost of an Apollo
(or Gemini, or Mercury or Soyuz) clone (~50M ???? just guessing) then
the total figure is still less than some of the colossal payouts seen
in lotteries around the world.

So how about it - Announcing the Skyways Space Lottery, open to the
residents of the Earth.
First prize, a ticket on an orbital space flight courtesy of SpaceX,
the company that brought space to the Citizens of the World.

Could be done, no?

No, not in the US at least. Lotteries are conducted by state governments
(or groups of states) and privately-run lotteries are illegal. In your
example, Skyways might find itself in considerable legal trouble.

--
JRF

Reply-to address spam-proofed - to reply by E-mail,
check "Organization" (I am not assimilated) and
think one step ahead of IBM.

blart wrote:
Considering the size of the prizes in some American lotteries, I am
wondering why a Space Lottery has not been mooted? If you take the cost of a
Falcon 9 (~50M BALLPARK figure), with the cost of an Apollo (or Gemini, or
Mercury or Soyuz) clone (~50M ???? just guessing) then the total figure is
still less than some of the colossal payouts seen in lotteries around the
world.

So how about it - Announcing the Skyways Space Lottery, open to the
residents of the Earth.
First prize, a ticket on an orbital space flight courtesy of SpaceX, the
company that brought space to the Citizens of the World.

Could be done, no?

A lottery was the obvious way to raise money in 1967,
when I first tried to get a commercial space transportation
company going. Only one problem, they're illegal for private
companies. Lotteries in the USA are strictly the prerogative
of government--and within certain limits--religion. Entrepreneurs
will be targeted and prosecuted mercilessly. Jim Davidson had
even gotten approval ahead of time for his telephone 900 scheme
for a chance to ride on an existing Russian rocket. However, the
authorities change their mind and threw Jim in jail. Interesting
enough, the protectors of the public took the money and kept it;
it was not used to refund the persons who had paid for a chance at
a ride.

Your nanny government at work protecting you.

I tried the sweepstakes route for a while. However, those in
charge of protecting the public place enough restrictions on
sweepstakes, that it is not really possible to give someone
a chance that has any real value in exchange for promotion of
some product or service. The "no purchase necessary" rule
essentially requires the chance to be nearly worthless. After
a lot of time and effort, our sweepstakes didn't amount to much
and ended up as a net loss.

Best regards,
Len (Cormier)
PanAero, Inc.
(change x to len)
http://www.tour2space.com

Jorge R. Frank wrote:
"blart" wrote in
:


Considering the size of the prizes in some American lotteries, I am
wondering why a Space Lottery has not been mooted? If you take the
cost of a Falcon 9 (~50M BALLPARK figure), with the cost of an Apollo
(or Gemini, or Mercury or Soyuz) clone (~50M ???? just guessing) then
the total figure is still less than some of the colossal payouts seen
in lotteries around the world.

So how about it - Announcing the Skyways Space Lottery, open to the
residents of the Earth.
First prize, a ticket on an orbital space flight courtesy of SpaceX,
the company that brought space to the Citizens of the World.

Could be done, no?


No, not in the US at least. Lotteries are conducted by state governments
(or groups of states) and privately-run lotteries are illegal.


How about Indian tribes?

In your
example, Skyways might find itself in considerable legal trouble.



--
Hop David
http://clowder.net/hop/index.html

blart wrote:
Considering the size of the prizes in some American lotteries, I am
wondering why a Space Lottery has not been mooted? If you take the cost of a
Falcon 9 (~50M BALLPARK figure), with the cost of an Apollo (or Gemini, or
Mercury or Soyuz) clone (~50M ???? just guessing) then the total figure is
still less than some of the colossal payouts seen in lotteries around the
world.


the problem is that you might aswell claim the Falcon 9 to cost $50B or
$50K - its a fully fictional vehicle with way too many open questions.
Not that many of the lottery ticket paying people are interested in
going to space.

--
Sander

+++ Out of cheese error +++

snip How about Indian tribes?

What a great idea! Now how to move forward?



Hop David
http://clowder.net/hop/index.html


PS: love the web site - I see that you are a practitioner of Clifford
Algebras?
Cool!

"blart" wrote in news:B54We.47583$FA3.37808@news-
server.bigpond.net.au:

snip How about Indian tribes?

What a great idea! Now how to move forward?

Bribe the appropriate legislators to legalize it?

--
JRF

Reply-to address spam-proofed - to reply by E-mail,
check "Organization" (I am not assimilated) and
think one step ahead of IBM.

I am starting to research some of this
http://planetgold.com/interview.asp?SPID=51858757

All I can say is phuck a duck - did this REALLY happen?

Lots of people call me a bitter and twisted cynic, I read this stuff and
realise I am not bitter and twisted enough to be a realist

great googamooga

"Len" wrote in message
ups.com...
blart wrote:
Considering the size of the prizes in some American lotteries, I am
wondering why a Space Lottery has not been mooted? If you take the cost
of a
Falcon 9 (~50M BALLPARK figure), with the cost of an Apollo (or Gemini,
or
Mercury or Soyuz) clone (~50M ???? just guessing) then the total figure
is
still less than some of the colossal payouts seen in lotteries around the
world.

So how about it - Announcing the Skyways Space Lottery, open to the
residents of the Earth.
First prize, a ticket on an orbital space flight courtesy of SpaceX, the
company that brought space to the Citizens of the World.

Could be done, no?

A lottery was the obvious way to raise money in 1967,
when I first tried to get a commercial space transportation
company going. Only one problem, they're illegal for private
companies. Lotteries in the USA are strictly the prerogative
of government--and within certain limits--religion. Entrepreneurs
will be targeted and prosecuted mercilessly. Jim Davidson had
even gotten approval ahead of time for his telephone 900 scheme
for a chance to ride on an existing Russian rocket. However, the
authorities change their mind and threw Jim in jail. Interesting
enough, the protectors of the public took the money and kept it;
it was not used to refund the persons who had paid for a chance at
a ride.

Your nanny government at work protecting you.

I tried the sweepstakes route for a while. However, those in
charge of protecting the public place enough restrictions on
sweepstakes, that it is not really possible to give someone
a chance that has any real value in exchange for promotion of
some product or service. The "no purchase necessary" rule
essentially requires the chance to be nearly worthless. After
a lot of time and effort, our sweepstakes didn't amount to much
and ended up as a net loss.

Best regards,
Len (Cormier)
PanAero, Inc.
(change x to len)
http://www.tour2space.com

In article , Hop David
wrote:

Jorge R. Frank wrote:

No, not in the US at least. Lotteries are conducted by state governments
(or groups of states) and privately-run lotteries are illegal.


How about Indian tribes?

You'd probably be limited to tickets sold on Indian land. Local tribes
have had New York State start cracking down on internet tax free sales,
and online gambling would face the same problems.

--
Chris Mack "Refugee, total ****. That's how I've always seen us.
'Invid Fan' Not a help, you'll admit, to agreement between us."
-'Deal/No Deal', CHESS

blart wrote:
I am starting to research some of this
http://planetgold.com/interview.asp?SPID=51858757

All I can say is phuck a duck - did this REALLY happen?

I assume you mean Jim's woeful experience. My main source
was Jim himself, who could have some element of bias on the
subject. However, I understand from others that something
close to this did REALLY happen. Comments from others?

I have felt for decades that the main barriers to entrepreneurs'
being able to cut the cost of getting to space have to do with
barriers to raising money--not non-existing technology. Actually,
there seem to be some sympathetic ears in Congress. I intend
to follow up now that I have finished wasting an enormous amount of
time catching up on my back tax filings--not taxes, just filings.
I would like just to have the hours spent on handling depreciation
for something more productive. Engineers do not try to make
everyone else become engineers--why do politicians and accountants
require so many people to become accountants?

If the standards of truth were comparable for selling government
programs and selling stock in entrepreneurial projects, then we
would either have a lot smaller budget, or entrepreneurs would be
able to raise money a lot easier. IMO (in 1972), there were only
two explanations for the economic arguments supporting the Space
Shuttle: incompetence or fraud. Take your pick.

Best regards,
Len (Cormier)
PanAero, Inc.
(change x to len)
http://www.tour2space.com

Lots of people call me a bitter and twisted cynic, I read this stuff and
realise I am not bitter and twisted enough to be a realist

great googamooga

"Len" wrote in message
ups.com...
blart wrote:
Considering the size of the prizes in some American lotteries, I am
wondering why a Space Lottery has not been mooted? If you take the cost
of a
.......snip.....