However, consider the big picture. What is the biggest problem in the world? Is it hunger? Is it illness? Is it war? No. The largest problem is the inevitable extinction of the human species. The other problems don’t matter in a universe without people. Any number of global catastrophes could and eventually will end live on Earth. It could be a collision with an asteroid, a deadly virus, a nuclear war, a supervolcano, a hypernova explosion or our own sun eventually swallowing the Earth.

Space travel is more than just footprints and flags; it is vital to our survival. Just as we back up hard drives in case they crash, we need to back up mankind on other worlds.

Who will do it? Governments? Forty years ago man walked on the Moon. Where have we walked since? It is time that we find a way. Creating images on the Moon provides a commercial incentive for turbo charging space travel technology. Shadows are only the beginning. These advancements will eventually place robots on other worlds building space stations and planting crops.

The full Moon will always be the same. Shadow Shaping only works during partial phases of the Moon using shadows that blend with its natural beauty. If shadows form a logo during a quarter moon, it will be a small price to pay for saving mankind.

New Shadow Shaping technology creates images on the moon that can be seen from Earth.  Robots are used to create several small ridges in the lunar dust over large areas that capture shadows and shape them to form logos, domains names or memorials.  For more information on licensing this technology click here.

1- A Sign in the Heavens – Never in the history of advertising has the possibility of penetrating every market on Earth, reaching every person on Earth, and touching them at emotional level only possible with the beauty of the moon on a starlit night, been made available. Twelve billion eyeballs looking at your logo in the sky for several days every month.

If 60 seconds during the Super Bowl costs 6 million dollars to reach 200 million viewers, then an eyeball minute costs about a penny and a half. Even if the average person were to look at your image on the moon for a total of only 10 seconds a month, then that image would be worth 360 million dollars a year in raw advertising value.

Let’s suppose it would cost a billion dollars to create and send a fleet of Shadow Shaping robots to the moon, the project would pay for itself in less than 3 years after completion. Over the next 50 years it would generate 18 billion dollars worth of advertising. And since there is no atmosphere on the Moon, the image could last for thousands of years.

2- The Lunar Renaissance – July 2009 marks the 40 anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing on the Moon. NASA is planning on creating a space station on the moon in the near future. Those who can align themselves with this lunar phenomenon will benefit by association with the renewed excitement of space travel.

During the Lunar Renaissance, the media will be looking for related stories. Even if you do nothing more than issue a press release that you have licensed technology to create advertising images on the Moon, you will be positioned for incredible exposure in the media. Properly framed in the context of supporting the development of technology that will help colonize other worlds, you can develop a brand that embodies being on the cutting edge and helping mankind move to other worlds since our own will not last forever.

3- Gray Gold – Currently international space law prohibits the ownership of lunar property. Many experts believe that in the future this will change as technology makes the exploitation of the Moon commercially viable. Historical property law has typically required animus possidendi (the intention to possess) and corpus possidendi (physical possession) in order to claim ownership of new land. By being the first to develop millions of square kilometers of the surface of the Moon through Shadow Shaping technology, you will be building a strong claim for ownership of the lunar land under your image.

Just as the farmers and ranchers that settled some of the old west found that the oil or gold discovered on their properties was worth much more than their cattle or crops, "shadow farmers" may find that lunar resources such as mineral rights or potential resort sites may have much more value than the Shadow Shaping images they have created.

The moon is covered with a fine dust that can be compacted to create shadow patterns. An excellent example of this is man’s first step on the moon.

Man’s First Step on the Moon (Top View)

Notice the three components to Shadow Shaping: the background, the shadow and the highlight.

Shadow Shaping Components (Cross Section)

As light hits the shadow pattern at an angle, a shadow is created that is significantly darker than the background. At the end of the shadow, there is a portion of the pattern that receives sunlight at a more direct angle and actually becomes lighter than the background. By making the slope of the highlight steep, the relative highlighted area as seen from above is minimal compared with the larger shadow area. The average of the two areas produces a net result that is still significantly darker than the background.

As demonstrated in both figures above, the pattern need not be very deep to create the desired effect. Spacing between the raised areas of the pattern needs to correspond to the end of the shadow for the darkest result. If the ratio of height to spacing for this pattern is constant the effect will be the same whether the pattern is 1 cm deep or 1 meter deep. Larger ratios will prolong the time that the pattern is visible during the cycle of the moon to a point by minimizing the highlight at more direct sunlight angles. Symmetrical patterns will provide the same effect for waxing and waning lunar cycles. Note that when the moon is full, there will be no image since the sunlight will no longer be hitting the pattern at an angle.

Different images formats can be created such as outline (faster to create), solid (easier to see) or grayscale (more detailed - created by interleaving shadow and background at different intervals).

Image Formats: Outline, Solid and Grayscale

To create these patterns in the moon dust, a remote controlled or autonomous, programmable rough terrain vehicle or robot can be used. Technology to provide autonomy and resistance to extreme temperature has been demonstrated by the Mars rovers that have run reliably for several years. Since the patterns have to cover large areas to be visible from Earth, a combination of higher speed and multiple vehicles may need to be used to create the patterns within reasonable amounts of time.

One possible vehicle could be a combination of the Mars rover (solar panels and extreme temperature resistance), and a three-wheeled, multi-axis rough terrain robot. The pattern is made with the tread of the wheels. If the raised area in the shadow pattern is created by a crosswise void in the tread pattern, then the vehicle will need to travel laterally. If the raised area in the shadow pattern is created by a longwise void in the tread pattern, then the vehicle will need to travel longitudinally. Angled voids could also be created for traction, but whatever the tread pattern, the raised area must be created perpendicular to the angle of the sun during partial phases of the moon. Three wheels allows for full coverage of the travel path, where a four-wheeled design would leave a gap in the middle. If extra weight is needed to provide sufficient dust compression, dust, rocks and soil could be collected in an onboard reservoir.

Longwise Tread Example with Solar Panel (Top View)

Elevation data from can be used to select an ideal area with flatter terrains. Other area selection data may include the dust color (background darkness), visibility factor (reduced visibility due to the angle of the terrain to Earth) and optimal solar angle regions.

Autonomous navigation can be accomplished through optical recognition of the sky (stars, sun, earth) and gyroscopic instrumentation. Occasional reprogramming and calibration can be done with communications from Earth. A combination of sensors, lasers, and optical recognition can be used for collision avoidance. Shock absorbing technologies can be used as well for handling collisions. Optical recognition can be used for path alignment. During the lunar nights, the vehicle would need to stow itself in a hibernation mode since solar power is no longer available and cold temperatures can be extreme.

Due to a lack of atmosphere on the Moon, Shadow Shaping images can last for thousands of years, unless they are redrawn or erased by Shadow Shaping robots. The images are only visible during partial moon phases when the light to the visible surface of the Moon is at an angle, so the full moon will look the same as it always has.

In addition to the images themselves, there is much to be gained by the development of Shadow Shaping technologies such as space exploration and space development techniques. Shadow Shaping on the Moon has been called "Shadow Farming" since the techniques used could be adapted to the terra-formation of other worlds including the planting of extraterrestrial crops. Spatial diversification of our species is the only way that mankind will be able to survive in the long run as threats to our world, such as impact events, pandemics, wars, environmental changes, or the expansion of the Sun, will eventually make the Earth uninhabitable. There are also advantages to moving these technologies out of the government sector and into the commercial sector, freeing up government resources to deal more effectively with humanitarian and social challenges.

Economic Challenges
1- Gravity – It currently costs thousands of dollars per pound to move payloads from the Earth to the moon. Most of this is spent overcoming the Earth’s gravity. As space transportation technology improves this number will become much cheaper. Meanwhile, Shadow Shaping robots will need to be lightweight and compact, at least during transportation.
2- Distance – The Moon is nearly 400 thousand km away from Earth. In order to make images that can be seen from Earth with the naked eye, images would need to be millions of square kilometers in size. In order to create these images within a reasonable amount of time, a fleet of Shadow Shaping robots would be needed. The cost per robot will need to be kept to a minimum. They should also be designed for maximum speed while still being able to avoid collisions with large rocks and obstacles.

Technical Challenges
1- Fire and Ice – Temperatures on the Moon range from 107°C during the day to -153°C at night. The temperatures on Mars can be nearly as cold (-140 °C) during the polar winters, but the summers are relatively mild (20 °C). During the lunar nights, the Shadow Shaping robots can put themselves in hibernation mode to protect themselves from the cold. But during the days the robots need to be fully operational. They need to be shielded from the radiant heat of the ground and the wheels need to be able to handle the heat without conducting it to the sensitive internal components.
2- Static Cling – The lunar surface is covered with extremely fine dust made from pulverized rock. The dust tends to cling to everything. It is also extremely abrasive, like sandpaper. The wheels will need to be designed so that they do not get clogged up with dust, perhaps with brushes on the front of the wheels that keep the Shadow Shaping voids clear. The wheels will also need to be hard so they do not wear out.
3- Navigation – Creating images on the surface of the Moon will require some sophisticated navigation technology. Visual pattern recognition combined with gyroscopic instrumentation could be used. Other possibilities include triangulation from lunar satellites or remote control from Earth.

Political Challenges
Currently commercial space projects are extremely regulated, especially in the United States, and even more so if the projects involve radioactive materials (used mostly as heaters to protect sensitive components from extremely cold temperatures). It would be best if the robots could be designed to work without radioactive heaters. It may also be necessary to partner with governments, or launch the robots from countries besides the United States, to avoid excessive regulation and delays in getting launch approval.

Social Challenges
Some groups of people may object to changing the appearance of the Moon for religious, environmental or sentimental reasons. Most of these objections can be handled through proper framing. For example, commercial space development can take the place of governmental space development to a degree, freeing up federal funds to better deal with humanitarian and social issues. While Shadow Shaping can last for thousands of years, it can also be erased by Shadow Shaping robots as easily as it is created. It is just a collection of small ridges made in the lunar dust. It has no impact to the lunar environment, and it only creates images during partial lunar phases, leaving the full Moon unchanged.

Advancements in space robotics as a result of Shadow Shaping, will aid in the colonization of outer space, helping preserve mankind from the inherent dangers of placing all of our species’ eggs in one basket, planet Earth. Any number of catastrophic events could end human life on Earth: Pandemics, collisions with comets or asteroids, weapons of mass destruction, supercollider accidents, environmental changes, hypernova radiation or the expansion of the Sun. Only by leaving the cradle of our home planet can we ensure our long-term survival.

Artistic Challenges
Shadow Shaping images need to blend with the natural shades and shadows of the region in which they are made for the best results with the least amount of effort. This requires planning and research for optimal image placement.

Each regional description includes:

• An indication of where the area is located on the map by shading in that area
• A visual image of the general area (the borders may not be precise)
• A detailed topographical map
• A detailed geographical survey

It is strongly recommended that you study these so that you can make an informed decision when you bid on a license for a particular region.

There are four main things to consider when choosing a Shadow Shaping region on the moon:

1- Terrain
Generally there are two types of lunar terrain, seas and highlands.  Each has advantages and disadvantages.

Seas
The seas, or maria in Latin, are the dark areas you see on the moon.  They are called seas because early astronomers thought these areas were filled with water.  They were actually filled with liquid, basaltic lava.  Now the lava has long since solidified and has been covered with meters of lunar dust called the regolith layer.

The advantage that seas have is that they are relatively flat.  This means that your Shadow Shaping robots can travel much faster, creating lunar images sooner.  A flat terrain also provides better shadow concentration; the shadow shaping ridges on your terrain will get dark at the same time making the overall image darker.  However, images with concentrated shadows do not last as many days during the lunar cycle.

The disadvantage of the seas is that the background for your lunar images will be darker, providing less contrast so your images will stand out less.  They will still stand out.  Evidence of this is the contrast seen in the first step on the moon, which was in the Sea of Tranquility.

Footprint on the Moon

Highlands
The highlands, or terrae (Latin for land), are the light areas you see on the moon.  Their advantage is that they are covered with a lighter colored lunar dust.  This provides better contrast for your lunar images.  The challenge with the highlands is the rough terrain.

Your Shadow Shaping robots will need to travel slower and be better equipped for traversing hills, mountains and craters.  An uneven terrain will also cause shadow dilution since the Shadow Shaping ridges will not create shadows at the same time during the lunar cycle making the overall image lighter, but also making it last for more days during the lunar cycle.

Whether you choose seas or highlands, or both, it is best to work with the terrain.  If a crater or mountain casts a shadow at the same time during the lunar cycle as your image appears, use it as part of your image.  This is less area that you need to Shadow Shape.  However, remember that natural shadows typically happen once during the lunar cycle.  Images that result from Shadow Shaping will typically appear twice during a lunar cycle as the sun hits the shadow shaping ridges on either side.  Thousands of 1 cm ridges blending together are more shadow symmetric than a single thousand-meter crater ridge.

2- Location
The old adage “location, location, location” applies to real estate on the Moon as well as on Earth.  Since the Moon is a sphere and not a disk, the regions that are closer to the visible edges of the Moon are at a greater angle to the Earth.  This means that your Shadow Shaping robots will need to traverse more area to produce the same amount of visible area from Earth.  The central regions are more desirable because, assuming all other factors are equal, the effort involved in creating lunar images is less.

3- Size
This is a personal consideration more than a technical one.  How big do you want your image to be?  You could create an image that only takes up part of your region, which would only be visible with a telescope, or by astronauts as they fly near the moon.  Or you could license multiple adjacent regions and make an image that can be seen with the naked eye.

4- Price
Obviously the premium regions have higher licensing fees, but maybe you are not interested in imaging.  Maybe you just want the publicity or notoriety that would come with being one of the few that have actually been able to license this technology.  There are only 44 regions.  Perhaps this is an investment for you, and once someone else has created images on their region, you might be able to resell your license for much more than your initial costs.  Then a more challenging region would be better for you since the licensing cost would be less.

If you are serious about imaging on the moon, bid on a premium region.  It will be well worth the extra cost in the long run.

Geological Survey | Topographical Map

This region is named after the Greek astronomer and mathematician Aristarchus, who, back in 200 BC, was the first to argue that the Sun, not the Earth, was at the center of our solar system (1800 years before Copernicus).  He also figured out the correct order of the planets from the Sun.

*Data is provided as a courtesy. Some values are approximate and accuracy is not guaranteed. You are encouraged to do your own research before bidding. Refer to the Region Guide for more information on the data items.

Photo of Aristarchus

Geological Survey | Topographical Map

This region is named after the Greek philosopher Aristotle (300 BC). His contributions to the physical sciences were followed for hundreds of years until Newtonian Physics eventually replaced them.

*Data is provided as a courtesy. Some values are approximate and accuracy is not guaranteed. You are encouraged to do your own research before bidding. Refer to the Region Guide for more information on the data items.

Photo of Aristoteles

Geological Survey | Topographical Map

This region is named after the Swiss clockmaker and mathematician Joost Bürgi (1600 AD). He made mechanical models representing the movement of planets that helped others understand the mechanics of the heavens.

*Data is provided as a courtesy. Some values are approximate and accuracy is not guaranteed. You are encouraged to do your own research before bidding. Refer to the Region Guide for more information on the data items.

Photo of Byrgius

Geological Survey | Topographical Map

This region is named after the Italian/French mathematician and astronomer Giovanni Domenico Cassini (1700 AD). Cassini discovered the Great Red Spot on Jupiter and four of Saturn’s moons.

*Data is provided as a courtesy. Some values are approximate and accuracy is not guaranteed. You are encouraged to do your own research before bidding. Refer to the Region Guide for more information on the data items.

Photo of Cassini