PayPal, SETI Institute, Buzz Aldrin and Space Leaders Launch PayPal Galactic
PayPal today announced the launch of PayPal Galactic, an initiative that addresses the issues to help make universal space payments a reality. PayPal Galactic brings together leaders in the scientific community, including the SETI Institute and Space Tourism Society, to prepare and support the future of space commerce.
Initiative will address the issues to help make universal space payments a reality
June 27 9 am PDT Launch Event with Buzz Aldrin will be available
LIVE at http://www.paypal-galactic.com
PayPal today announced the launch of PayPal Galactic, an initiative that addresses the issues to help make universal space payments a reality. PayPal Galactic brings together leaders in the scientific community, including the SETI Institute and Space Tourism Society, to prepare and support the future of space commerce.
The announcement with PayPal President David Marcus and Astronaut and author Buzz Aldrin takes place June 27 at 9am PDT at the SETI Institute in Mountain View, California. The event will be live streamed at www.paypal-galactic.com and will be available on demand at 4pm the same day at the same location. A video explaining the initiative is available in HD and standard definition for downloading and sharing immediately at www.paypal-galactic.com
“As space tourism programs are opening space travel to ‘the rest of us’ this drives questions about the commercialization of space. We are launching PayPal Galactic, in conjunction with leaders in the scientific community, to increase public awareness of the important questions that need to be addressed,” said David Marcus, PayPal’s President. “We may not answer these questions today or even this year, but one thing is clear, we won’t be using cash in space. PayPal has already pushed payments into the Internet, onto phones and across terrestrial borders. We look forward to pushing payments from our world to the next, and beyond.”
“Trips to Mars, the moon, even orbit will require we provide astronauts and astro-tourists with as many comforts from home as possible, including how to pay each other,” said Astronaut and author Buzz Aldrin. “Whether it’s paying a bill, even helping a family member on Earth, we’ll need access to money. I think humans will reach Mars, and I would like to see it happen in my lifetime. When that happens I won’t be surprised if people use PayPal Galactic for the little things and the big ones.”
This visionary program, spearheaded by PayPal, working with the SETI Institute, aims to bring together leaders in the space industry to work on the big questions around the commercialization of space. These include:
* What will our standard currency look like in a truly cash-free interplanetary society?
* How will the banking systems have to adapt?
* How will risk and fraud management systems need to evolve?
* What regulations will we have to conform with?
* How will our customer support need to develop?
To support the SETI Institute and its mission to improving the understanding of life on Earth, and the search for life beyond it, PayPal is launching a crowdfunding campaign powered by FundRazr. The SETI Institute’s scientists play an active role in some of the world’s most advanced scientific ventures, including groundbreaking studies in astrobiology and radio astronomical research with the Allen Telescope Array. Donations to support SETI Institute and the science of space can be made at http://www.seti.org/curiositymovement
“PayPal and the SETI Institute are well-matched to work on PayPal Galactic because together we can create a recipe for innovation,” said Jill Tarter, the Bernard M. Oliver Chair for the SETI Institute. “PayPal envisions exploring possibilities in space the way that we do, breaking boundaries to make real progress. When the SETI Institute succeeds in its exploration of the universe, and as we find our place among the stars, PayPal will be there to facilitate commerce, so people can get what they need, and want, to live outside of our planet.”
Already the need for a galactic payment system exists. Astronauts inhabiting space stations still need to pay for life’s necessities–from their bills back on Earth to their entertainment, like music and e-books, while in space.
“Within five to ten years the earliest types of ‘space hotels’ and orbital and lunar commerce will be operational and in need of a payment system,” said John Spencer, founder and president of the Space Tourism Society.
The launch of PayPal Galactic commences in conjunction with the celebration of PayPal’s 15th Anniversary. Founded in 1998, the company has since grown its service of a faster, safer way to pay and get paid online to more than 128 million active accounts in 193 markets.
Video of the press conference, the 90-second PKG, and the PKG script can be found at video at http://www.paypal-galactic.com
Follow us on Twitter at @PayPal and via hashtag #paypalgalactic
About PayPal
PayPal is the faster, safer way to pay and get paid online. The service allows members to send money without sharing financial information, with the flexibility to pay using their account balances, bank accounts or credit cards. With more than 128 million active accounts in 193 markets and 25 currencies around the globe, PayPal enables global ecommerce. PayPal is an eBay company. The company’s open payment platform, x.commerce, allows developers to build innovative payment applications on multiple platforms and devices. More information about the company can be found at http://www.PayPal.com
About SETI Institute
The mission of the SETI Institute is to explore, understand and explain the origin, nature and prevalence of life in the universe. The SETI Institute is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to scientific research, education and public outreach. Founded in November 1984, the SETI Institute began operations on February 1, 1985. Today it employs over 120 scientists, educators and support staff. Research at the Institute is anchored by three centers. Dr. Gerry Harp is Director of the Center for SETI Research (Dr. Jill Tarter continues as Bernard M. Oliver Chair for SETI). Dr. David Morrison is the Director for the Carl Sagan Center for the Study of Life in the Universe. Edna DeVore leads our Center for Education and Public Outreach.
Online at http://www.seti.org
Contact Information
Karen Randall
SETI Institute
krandall@seti.org
650-960-4537
Calling Curious Citizens of Earth
Life, we’ve discovered, is possible in places that defy our imagination. Understanding these possibilities and translating them into a potential for improving life now and in the future is paramount for a thriving civilization here and in worlds beyond. Can life survive in a changing environment? How does life adapt and what does it mean for our future? The SETI Institute is dedicated to addressing these questions through research, exploration and education. But we need your help!
