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Space Money Space Money
Wednesday, October 31, 2007 - Noa Rotkop
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The foreign exchange company Travelex, in collaboration with a team of scientists from the National Space Centre and the University of Leicester, recently unveiled a new revolutionary kind of currency created especially to be used in space. The Quasi Universal Intergalactic Denomination (QUID) will be made of a space qualified polymer called polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). This special material will enable the money to withstand the pressures of space travel.

Professor George Fraser from the University of Leicester explains that none of the payment methods used on Earth is suitable for space. Coins are risky because of their sharp edges, and the disadvantage of credit cards is that they use chips and magnetic strips that do not work in an environment with cosmic radiation.

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), the material chosen for the new space currency- QUID- was chosen thanks to its versatility and durability. PTFE is used by space agencies because it is highly resistant to corrosive materials as well as to high temperatures. Another advantage is that the new currency will not emit any chemicals that might endanger space tourists.

The QUID is lozenge-shaped, meaning it has round edges, making it safe for use around people and equipment. Each QUID depicts eight planets orbiting a sun, reflecting the position of the planets in our Solar System.  Travelex claims this image imprinted onto the currency may be helpful for humans when they trade with other life forms (one must admit that even if a space tourist were to come across some sort of E.T.-like creature, it seems unlikely they would start trading). Furthermore, in order to track the currency and prevent counterfeits, each disc will carry a number on each of the orbiting planets, thus creating a unique code.

Travelex believes space tourism will  become popular soon, and states: "It’s only a matter of time before people will be walking up to our shops and asking for QUIDs for their two weeks in a space hotel. There will be a real need for this currency to be introduced to meet the needs of those intergalactic tourists." The QUIDs would be available for purchase on Earth. At today's rates, one QUID would cost 6.25 GBS / 12.5 U.S. dollars / 8.68 Euros. The QUIDs differ in color and size, denoting their different values.

TFOT recently covered several space tourism related topics, including the unveiling of the First Commercial Spaceport scheduled to be built in New Mexico and the launch of the first and second Space Hotel Prototypes by the U.S. Bigelow Aerospace Company.

More information on the QUIDs can be found on Travelex's website.


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Comments & Replies (5)
uh...   (09/13/08 - 18:11 - by John Amendall)
Special material, because gold and silver fall apart in space? Or
under high acceleration? Nonsense.

Looks like just another fiat currency waiting for a government to
force it down people's throats.
bad name   (03/27/09 - 2:24 - by Jonathan Buhacoff)
Quasi universal? Intergalactic? It screams of an arbitrary name
created to justify a desired acronym. That's bad style. Anyway, if a
human can move around the ISS without a pressure suit, then regular
paper bills or plastic casino chips with smooth edges will work just
fine. I'll keep my US dollars, thanks. That way E.T. will be able to
actually buy something when he lands at the New Mexico spaceport.
Nice   (06/15/10 - 14:17 - by Dave)
The name is a little crazy but I think that it is a great idea as it's
common currency all countries can rely on. The reason for not using
any of our current curencies is the sharp edges & chemicals used.
crazy news   (02/09/11 - 10:36 - by lele leibniz)
super gay!!!!
PuttingPeopleInSpaceOFBJSX   (10/30/11 - 17:59 - by Trevor HM Cooper)
Post this story if you want us to build HotelsInSpace.
Here is a vehicle that can take you to any orbit in this solar
system.
Or produce rental income here at Earth.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivHAO96FIiw
In 1961, the first man went to space and came back.
Fifty years later, Tasha9503 wants to lift 213 people per launch and
reuse the hardware that lifted them as infrastructure in Space.
In 2007, http://www.tasha9503.ca/ was put on the net show the new
shape of the HLV (rocket) and where we position everything.
In 2009, it cost $20,000,000 to lift one satellite, Tasha9503 plans to
lift six satellites per launch and charge $6,000,000 each. (2009
dollars)
In 2090, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivHAO96FIiw was used to show
what we will have when we use the new design for the rocket.
In 2009, http://www.LivingInSpace.ca/ was produced to create the
ability to sell 85% of the infrastructure Tasha9503 puts in LEO to
raise start up costs.
Offering time and profit shares to those who i

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