'Golden Spike' to make announcement Dec. 6

©2007 by Robert Godwin 

The recently formed Golden Spike company, said to be planning a privately financed expedition to the Moon, is planning a press conference on Thursday, December 6, 2012, 2pm at the National Press Club, Bloomberg Room, in Washington.

 

SpaceX Falcon 9 heavy booster

The "Earth to the Moon 2020" blog suggests that a heavy lift deal was just signed with SpaceX for use of Falcon 9 Heavy as the launch vehicle to carry an new lunar orbiter. The lander, designed for both payloads and 4 passengers, is now moving off the drawing boards and into prototyping. The deal calls for $80 million upfront with the first 4 investors putting up $10 million each.

 

Warren Buffet

The blog also speculates "the [Golden Spike] business plan shows an impressive investment team and list of targeted customers in Europe and Middle East. Expect to see an official announcement soon. Warren Buffet along with Guy Laliberté alleged to be two of the key investors." 

Of course, the GoldenSpikeCo Facebook suggested a rumor of Stevie Nicks involvement too. But expect more from Facebook and Twitter.

 

"Elements would park in lunar orbit and then a small lunar lander would take two commercial astronauts to the surface for short stays," the unconfirmed report notes.

Bigelow Aerospace moon base

"Long-term goals are to establish a man-tended outpost using a commercial company’s “inflatable” modules. The only new element that needs to be designed and built for initial missions is the lunar lander, of which the design has already begun."

Bigelow Aerospace has been planning inflatable habitats for orbit and the surface of the moon since the beginning of the 21st century.

All will be revealed - December 6, 2012.