Conference 7.286::space

799.0. "Space lottery" by MAYDAY::ANDRADE (The sentinel (.)(.)) Mon May 11 1992 12:07

    
    			SHUTTLE TRIP LOTTERY
    			~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    
    Public interest in the space program has been going down as operations
    become more routine.  And the fact that space news (as all news) is most 
    often bad news, further damages the public space interest.
    
    
    Would it not be a good idea, to have an at least annual lottery of a
    trip in the space shuttle to orbit. A winner plus at least two backups
    should be choosen tru a random process from among all  SPACE LOTTERY
    ticket buyers.
    
    Revenues from the lottery tickets (about $10 each) should be used to
    train the "public observer winner" and backups,  compensate them for
    time off work, and put the winner or one of his backups in orbit. 
    
    
    What you think, would this liven up things ?     This would allow the 
    public would not only watch but also participate in the space program.
    
    I know that after the shuttle disaster, allowing private individuals
    on the shuttle was discontinued. But I think that that choise should
    be left up to the individual in question, if he is physically capable 
    and willing to go. Then he should be allowed to go.
    
    Me if such a lottery existed, I would go out and buy a couple of 
    tickets right away ..................................................
    
    Gil

Such a lottery DID exist to go to MIR on a Soviet (now CIS) launch.  It got shot
down due to various and assorted court rulings, I believe.

Burns

    There was a Lottery proposal similar to the one you described but it
    was shot down due to some states and the IRS requiring the winners to
    pay taxes on the market value of their prize.  

    	See SPACE Topic 690 regarding the MIR Lottery.