If you think you can figure out a plan for what it would take to send people to other planets, Darpa might be willing to write you a check. The somewhat mysterious and often eccentric Defense Department research group is willing to pay $500,000 to someone who could figure out the organizational, technical, ethical, and sociological factors to get such a thing built. Even figuring out HOW to build such a thing is expected to take up to 100 years so, you know, don’t spend that money all at once. But the money will be awarded on November 11th, something about the whole 11/11/11 thing. The New York Times says
You know, I can think of ONE Starship that’s ready to go RIGHT NOW.
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