Golden Spike Is Selling Trips To The Moon

Have you ever dreamed of taking a trip to the moon? If so, you may be able to get your wish, if you’re rich enough. A new space start-up called Golden Spike is looking to bring commercial tourism to the moon, The Washington Post reported earlier this week. But don’t start packing your Tang and Freeze Dried ice cream just yet, the preliminary price tag for such a trip is $750 million a seat.

Golden Spike Co. is comprised of former NASA executives and other prominent figures from the aerospace industry. Their goal is to offer trips to the moon to foreign governments and eccentric billionaires. In response to the question of feasibility, former NASA executive Alan Stern said “the trick is 40 years old. We know how to do this.”

Many of the logistics around the lunar trips are unclear, but don’t expect it to mirror to Apollo missions from 40 years ago. Most of the spacecraft operations we be controlled remotely from earth. And instead of building the spacecrafts from scratch, Golden Spike is looking to recommision old hardware from NASA and SpaceX.

Earlier this year, Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich famously stated that he wanted to establish a permanent moon base by 2021. As it turns out, he wasn’t kidding. Speaker Gingrich serves on the board of Golden Spike, and the current goal for the first mission is 2020.

Unlike Newt Gingrich’s plan, though, Golden Spike is not interested in setting up a lunar base for the United States. Rather, it’s looking to draw most of its business from foreign governments. Most countries don’t have the means for space missions, but have interest in landing on the moon. Golden Spike wants to sell them that privilege. Whether it be for science or stature, Golden Spike is betting that many countries would be willing to pay the hefty price. Of course, some countries would be off limits. China and other competitors of the United States would not be allowed to do business with Golden Spike.

While the plan does seem to be nothing more than science fiction, Golden Spike thinks that they can make it happen. The current price-point keeps trips to the moon out of reach for most people, but it’s an exciting step in private space exploration.