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I just saw this at SpaceDaily -
ESA's objective is to raise commercial demand for use of the European assets on the International Space Station.
Sponsorship is also being sought. Commercial sponsorship cannot pay 100% of a Mars mission, however in 1999 CBS paid $11 billion for 12 or 13 years of NCAA March madness basketball broadcast rights. Collecting $15 billion for exclusive broadcast rights of "humans to Mars" would seem quite feasible and would greatly offset the burden imposed on taxpayers for funding Mars.
What about this scenario (remember that all funding is spread out of 10-15 years) - - > A joint ESA/Russian mission using Energias from Khouru funded with:
- 15 or 20 billion Euros collected for broadcast rights (underwritten by the EU) plus 5+ billion Euros for ancillary marketing:
Reebok -vs- Nike: Hey Nike "We just did it!"
Or, Who is that Italian clothing guy? - United Colours?
Benetton grossed 2098 million Euros in 2001. 100 million Euros annually for a 15 year marketing campaign could sell lots of clothing perhaps with a theme of building EU pride - we can do it without NASA.
- 20 billion Euros direct from the EU (plus 5 billion from Saudi Arabia to include a Saudi prince as one of the first people to Mars? - or 5 billion from Saudi Arabia -AND- 5 billion from India to include a Hindu and a Muslim on the first mission)
Additional money could come from major universities in exchange for the right to include faculty on the mission.
Is 40 or 50 billion Euros enough to do Mars? Putin might even sell Energias at or below cost to be able to rally Russian national pride.
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I guess the Russians aren't the only ones who've reserved space on the ISS for the highest bidder. I'm a little surprised that the Europeans would follow in their tracks. Looks like the ISS might be starting to stress a few budgets across the board. And isn't Olgivy a shampoo company? Perhaps they pitch free shampoo as an incentive for people to buy access to the station.
To achieve the impossible you must attempt the absurd
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