"Who do you think you are? D. D. Harriman?"

This question came up as frequently as any other when Greg started speaking in public about the Artemis Project, so it needs to be included in this FAQ along with Greg's usual response. Harriman is the title character in Robert A. Heinlein's story, "The Man Who Sold the Moon."

In Heinlein's book, D. D. Harriman had the advantage of being the CEO of a large corporation. He put together a moon mission by promising the directors of the corporation the long-term wealth to be gained from private enterprise on the moon. Unfortunately, this approach works only in stories. For thirty years, we have tried selling the moon and other space ventures based on the financial reward to be gained from solar power, extraterrestrial resources, and scientific research; and for thirty years we have failed.

With the Artemis Project we're using a different approach. Never mind any lofty goal. Never mind that we're talking about the last, best hope of the human species. Never mind that generations to come will enjoy the riches of the solar system, thanks to what we're doing now.

We're doing it because it's fun! (And, quite frankly, there's a lot more money in fun than all those other things combined.) So, with the Artemis Project, we are putting together the greatest show on Earth! Or elsewhere.