It has been well over a decade since the SeaOrbiter was first dreamed up. Thirty years of research has gone into the project, and still it does not exist. But a recently launched crowdfunding campaign hopes to make the last decade of stagnancy a thing of the past.
At least part of the SeaOrbiter could be built with the help of funds from the masses. It’s called the "eye of the SeaOrbiter" and it’s the top 59 feet of the proposed 190-foot vessel. Within the eye sits a lookout post and the entirety of the SeaOrbiter’s communication systems. From it, the public will be able to share in the eventual adventures of the SeaOrbiter’s crew, so it’s fitting that the public takes a hand in its creation.
Other forces onboard for the SeaOrbiter’s creation include the European Space Agency and NASA officials as well as a number of industry partners. With partners like that, we can hope that after the last 12 years of ramping up, the SeaOrbiter is truly ready to begin forging a path across the Earth’s final frontier.