Space tourism is coming, and it ain't gonna be cheap. The question is, how are the rich folks aboard such craft going to pay for... stuff? Since weighty cash is a non-starter, Paypal has unveiled the PayPal Galactic initiative with SETI and the Space Tourism Society to prepare for the future of extra-planetary commerce. It'll be launched today at noon EST via livestream (see the More Coverage link) by none other than astronaut Buzz Aldrin, who said that future trips to the moon or Mars will require "as many comforts from home as possible, including how to pay each other." PayPal worked with SETI to hatch the project, which will address meaty issues like a standard space currency, the risk of space fraud and dealing with customer support issues. (Sorry, space customer support issues.) We're pretty sure the conversation won't involve how to pay aliens, but as part of the Galactic launch, PayPal will also announce a new crowdfunding campaign on FundRazr to aid SETI. That'll help the ET-seeking outfit with its astrobiology and radio astronomy research and, hopefully, keep its dishes pointed skyward, so maybe one day we can horse-trade with the Ferengi.
Filed under: Science