The goal is to build a large-scale space station that will maintain low-earth-orbit, so how do we pay for the construction of such a massive structure that will cost hundreds of billions of dollars?
When faced with the prospect of raising this kind of money, we’re basically left with three options:
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- Taxes:
The old standard. For our purposes, a non-option. Governments won’t be footing the bill for any of this. Space projects funded by taxes are cut, contested, and fought over many times a year with backing won and lost so many times that every government funded project becomes its own soap opera. Everything we’ve discussed so far is based on the assumption that all governments will continue to (under)fund existing space programs to suit their specific purposes, and that private industry will be responsible for every step from innovation to finished product. Taxation is out.
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- Passenger Tickets and Freight:
Tickets by direct purchase will be how the world’s affluent citizens and corporations secure passage to the Gateway, and those funds will go a long way toward the construction of this spaceport. Said tickets will be 100% refundable and transferable. But how will those who aren’t millionaires make this trip?
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- A Lottery
Last year, lotteries around the globe generated over $336 billion dollars. To put that in perspective, that’s twice what it cost to build the ISS – in one year. When people buy a lottery ticket their intention is never about funding where that money is supposed to go. Imagine how spending might be affected if, in addition to a traditional large cash prize, the opportunity to go into space was also put on the table. Might that affect sales a bit? Many people would feel better if their lotto ticket funds were used to build a massive spaceport, they might even get a job helping that effort. The funds for this lottery could easily be collected over the internet, with two weekly drawings for cash prizes, and once a month a trip to the Gateway.
How will we legally start a lottery? the Gateway Lottery could be set up in any state that has the initiative process for legal change. The initiative process is the direct power of the voters to enact new or change existing laws. It allows the voters to place proposed legislation on the ballot.
Currently, there are 24 States that have the initiative process, and we would target those States that support this idea. The most leading contenders are California, New Mexico, and Washington. When the time is right, we will campaign for voters to first place the proper legislation on the ballot and then to vote it into law.
The Gateway Lottery will:
1. Create an avenue of direct funding to construct the Gateway.
2. Bring opportunities of employment to Gateway Crew Members interested in working in space.
3. Establish a new industry: Space Construction.
The Gateway Lottery will become a direct reflection of the will of the people to populate and explore our solar system.