Organization of the Luna Project

The Project is a coöperative effort, and the work of organizing its affairs is, accordingly, done in a rather "bottom-up" fashion. The general principles can be stated briefly. Two divisions may be made : one of persons, into subscribers and contributors ; and one according to work, into the various interest sections.

Subscribers

The subscribers have committed all their resources, their property, skills, labour, &c., to the accomplishment of the Project's goal. They form the dedicated nucleus which keeps work going. Their number is not very large, since even for such a cause as the opening of the universe to mankind, it is not easy to find sane people who are willing to risk ruining themselves. The initial party of settlers will be selected from among the subscribers.

Contributors

The contributors form a very large class. They are all the people who have materially assisted the work of the project, other than the subscribers themselves. The group would include an engineer who donates hours of work weekly, an artist or graphic designer who furnishes a logo, an astronaut who speaks at a public rally, a politician who protects the project from official interference, or a wealthy donor who furnishes a million dollars. In other words, it embraces every degree of commitment from casual to just shy of total, and every kind of contribution.

Interest Sections

The interest sections are groups of subscribers and contributors who work together to accomplish specific tasks. Such a division of labour is necessary to the achievement of the goal of lunar settlement, which will require not only an immense total effort, but an enormous number of individual operations, some of them extremely complex. Each section organizes itself on a consultative basis, according to the particular requirements of its individual objective, and the division into sections itself is established in a similar manner, and may be reviewed as circumstances require. Of course, one person may be a member of more than one interest section.

The Papers on the Lunar Settlement serve to document the work of the sections, as they develop from initial guidance documents into summaries and explanation of activity.

Coördinators

The coöordinators are subscribers who form a consultative body, the Committee of Coöordination. This committee is, essentially, a special case of the Interest Section ; its purpose is, as the name indicates, to ensure that the various interest sections work together properly, so that their efforts result in a lunar settlement, rather than in confusion. The coördinators, therefore, keep apprised of the work of the interest sections, and keep each other apprised, and they assist communications among members of different sections. When necessary, the committee furnishes guidance, particularly in the form of memoranda.The work of the committee is probably as close to "management" as things in the Project get.


Formal Organization

As can be seen from the above, the Luna Project is less a concrete thing than a process ; less an organization than an action, or a habit, or a state of mind. Nevertheless, it has concrete work to do, and this work would be greatly facilitated by the sorts of tools which are available to corporate bodies but not to individuals, no matter how dedicated or ingenious.

It might be wise for the adherents of the Project in each country to set up a local legal body, a corporation, trust, or other foundation, which could transact business on its own behalf. It should not be forgotten, however, that there are no few established organizations sharing some, if not all, of the objectives sought in the Luna Project. Participants should maintain close contact with such bodies, and it will often be found that Project work can best be accomplished by sharing it with them and channeling it through their existing structures.


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