Kickstarter to the Rescue Again

Would you buy a manual regarding the NASA logo shown above? It appears many will based on a recent Kickstarter campaign, which collected approximately $636,000 as of earlier today.  That is pretty good given the goal of the campaign was to collect only $158,000.  

For your $79 contribution you get a copy of the original manual for a logo that lasted from 1974 to 1992.  And why is this so important to the thousands of donors?  The site tries to explain it:

As design nerds, we think the Worm is almost perfect, and the system behind it is a wonderful example of modernist design and thinking.

But for everyone, we think the Worm and its design system represent an agency whose goal is to explore space and push the boundaries of science. Where the Meatball feels cartoon-like and old fashioned; the worm feels sleek, futuristic, forward-thinking. All good things for a space agency at the bleeding-edge of science and exploration. 

We think this manual and others like it—regardless of the organization—are a beautiful example of rational, systematic design. The NASA manual is one of those examples that sets the standard for design excellence—a document well worth preserving for the future as a learning tool, a gorgeous object, and a moment in design history.

I guess there is something for everyone.  I have no problem with the current "meatball" NASA logo, but tastes will differ.  By the way, who is pushing the meatball manual? 

Update: NASA has decided to issue the worm manual for free as a pdf file. I wonder how the thousands that paid $79 per copy feel about that. 

Image Credit:  The patch is from p. 9.2 of the manual.

Kickstarter Campaign by Spock's Son

Okay, it is a Kickstarter campaign by Leonard Nimoy's son Adam to produce a documentary about his dad.  Here is more on the Kickstarter project to make the film "For the Love of Spock" in time for the 50th anniversary of Star Trek:

This film was originally conceived as a tribute to Mr. Spock to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of the original series. Now, with Dad's passing on February 27th, the film will also explore the incredible career and artistry of Leonard Nimoy. But what has become increasingly apparent as I continue to work on this project is that it's also a personal journey. 

Although I had initially intended to take a somewhat detached, objective view of the subject matter, more and more people involved in this film have urged me to interject some of my own perspective on what it was like growing up with Mr. Spock in the house, and how Dad's new-found celebrity and meteoric career affected my life.

Here is a short clip describing the project as well.

The goal is to raise $600,000.  About $180,00 has already been raised, which is a great start.  Donations will be accepted through July 1 and the project will continue only if the donation goal can be reached. 

Adam notes:

No film project of this scale is without its own risks and challenges - but we're confident that we've assembled the right team to make this film professionally and within our deadline. And with the generous time and support of writers, directors and actors associated with STAR TREK (people like our narrator, Zachary Quinto) who have already agreed to appear on camera, I have no doubt that we will be able to tell the story that my dad and I intended.

This would be a nice and lasting tribute to his father beyond all the other ways we will remember him.

Solar Sail Trials Begin

Yesterday the Planetary Society's solar sail prototype was sent aloft on an Atlas V rocket.  It shared the rocket with the Air Force's X-37B unmanned space shuttle, which was be carrying its own science missions. The LightSail project is designed to test alternative propulsion technology:

Solar sails use the sun’s energy as a method of propulsion—flight by light. Light is made of packets of energy called photons. While photons have no mass, a photon traveling as a packet of light has energy and momentum.  Solar sail spacecraft capture light momentum with large, lightweight mirrored surfaces—sails. As light reflects off a sail, most of its momentum is transferred, pushing on the sail. The resulting acceleration is small, but continuous. Unlike chemical rockets that provide short bursts of thrust, solar sails thrust continuously and can reach higher speeds over time.

The Planetary Society reported on the initial success of the launch, noting:

The first of The Planetary Society’s two LightSail spacecraft is now in space following a late morning launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Liftoff occurred at 11:05 a.m. EDT (15:05 UTC). The Centaur upper stage and primary payload are in their preliminary orbit, with LightSail and its CubeSat companions bolted near the aft section in the secondary ULTRASat payload. LightSail spacecraft separation is expected to occur at 1:05 p.m. EDT.

Spacecraft separation also went without a hitch and the mission is well underway.  You can continue to track the progress of mission by going here.  If all goes well, a second, full mission will take place in 2016.

Update:  If you would like to contribute to the 2016 Lightsail mission you can do so via  Kickstarter.  As of May 23rd, the site has garnered more than $700,000 in pledges, which is excellent since the goal was only $200,000.
Second Update:  The Planetary Society has declared the Lightsail mission to be a success, even with the multiple communication glitches.  You can listen to the press conference on the mission here.  

You Can Contribute to a Lunar Mission

Lunar Mission Ltd. is looking for investors via Kickstarter for a lunar mission.  Once funded, in about 10 years time Lunar Mission One will conduct science on the surface of the Moon to learn more about this orbiting body:

The spacecraft platform will drill down to a depth of at least 20 metres – about 10 times further than drilled before – though potentially as deep as 100 metres. This will enable us to access and analyse lunar rock that is 4.5 billion years old. By studying this ancient lunar rock we hope to shine some light on the following: What are the origins of the Moon? How did the late heavy bombardment of the inner solar system shape the history of our planet? Might the Moon be suitable for a permanently manned base for space exploration?

In addition to the science, contributors can leave something behind on the moon as well.  Contributions at certain levels will provide the donor with a "Digital Memory Box" where they can upload message, photos, videos, and more.  This information will be buried into the Moon's surface.

The current Kickstarter campaign is designed to raise about £600,000 (or about $900,000) to support continued planning for the mission.  Later on the sales of memory boxes to the general public should generate additional revenues to fund the rest of the mission.

Lunar Mission One, like Mars One, is another way to stimulate public interest in space projects and give them a sense of investment.  It reminds me of The Planetary Society's efforts to put members names on as many Mars missions and other missions as possible, which have included:  OSIRIS-REx, MAVEN, Hayabusa 2, IKAROS,  Akatsuki, Glory, Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, Kaguya (SELENE), Phoenix, Dawn, New Horizons, Deep Impact. Cosmos 1, Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity, Hayabusa (MUSES-C), Stardust - Cassini-Huygens, Mars Pathfinder, and Mars '96. An impressive list. 

I wish the project team luck and will make my own Kickstarter contribution shortly.

Update:  Lunar Mission One's funding drive was a success. So what is the next step.  According to the mission site, now it is time to do some fine-tuning of the mission:

In January, Lunar Missions Ltd will assemble the initial project team to plan the fine details of the next six months – which will be project managed by RAL Space.  This is an incredibly complex programme involving at least four core project teams: Mission, Education, Science and Marketing.