fisher@dvinci.DEC (Burns Fisher, MRO3-1/E13, 231-4108) (03/26/84)
> One suggestion I have heard is for NASA to hold a semi-expensive > lottery for a seat on the shuttle... One problem I could see is the US Postal Service regulations prohibit lottery solicitation through the mail. (That is why everything that you DO see which uses the mail, but smacks of lottery, always says somewhere "No purchase required".) That means that NASA would have to set up some gigantic network of retail sales outlets. A lot of expense for a one-shot deal, and I suspect that a lot of states would be up in arms if NASA started doing it on a regular basis. Also, how many people, honestly, WANT a ride on the shuttle? I certainly do, but I know a lot of non-idiot, non-proxmirish people who support the space program, but would not want a ride. Burns uucp: ...allegra!decwrl!rhea!dvinci!fisher
mdg@uvacs.UUCP (03/30/84)
> Also, how many people, honestly, WANT a ride on the shuttle? I certainly > do, but I know a lot of non-idiot, non-proxmirish people who support the > space program, but would not want a ride. I DO! What surprises me even more, are the extremes. I was talking to a friend of mine about the possibility of a manned mission to Mars. As one might expect, we got to the issue of cost. He claimed that we could probably cut the cost by an order of magnitude if only we didn't have to worry about bringing the astronauts back. I asked where he expected to get volunteers. HE volunteered! He is retired from industry and he'd love to use his extensive engineering talents in space. I pointed out that the cost of several months worth of supplies would eat up all the savings from not returning. He replied that: "It doesn't HAVE to be permanent ..." This isn't MY point of view. BUT, I still don't think that we would have any problem with passenger interest in any space mission. Hoping to catch a ride (and return, thank you), Mike Geipel
jlg@lanl-a.UUCP (04/07/84)
Make the winning ticket transferable. That way, if the winner doesn't want to ride (or can't make the medical requirements -- like heart problems) he can probably find someone that can go.