First Commercial Moon Mission Approved By Larry O'Hanlon, Discovery News

Sep. 4 — The U.S. Government has just licensed the first commercial mission to the moon.

TransOrbital, Inc. received permission from various government agencies last week to send a probe back to the Earth's little sister. That probe, dubbed Trailblazer, will orbit the moon for 90 days, filming portraits of Earth as it rises over the lunar horizon and mapping the moonscape in unprecedented detail — as small as one meter in diameter.

"We're also looking to verify Apollo and other landing sites," said TransOrbital President Dennis Laurie.

He said "verify" because there are still a few people out there who believe the Apollo program was a hoax. The last part of Trailblazer's mission will be to crash land on the lunar surface, taking "barnstorming" videos the whole way down.

Wait a sec... You have to get a license to go to the moon?