A secretive and mysterious private firm called The Golden Spike
Company is expected to make a major announcement this coming
Thursday about its plans to undertake a private expedition to
the moon by 2020. If the internet rumors are to be believed,
these plans could see humans return to the lunar surface. Not
much is known about the company, but speculation has been
rampant. At first it was thought that entrepreneurial backers
included Warren Buffet and Richard Branson, but these claims
have since be proven false. What is known, however, is that
Golden Spike Co. (a reference to the ceremonial spike that
connected the US transcontinental railroad in 1869) was founded
by planetary scientist and aerospace engineer Alan Stern — the
science chief who ran NASA's directorate from 2007 to 2008.
Though no official website exists, Golden Spike has a Facebook
page and twitter feed. The Internet domain
goldenspikecompany.com is registered to Doug Griffith, an LA-
based attorney who specializes in space and aviation law — a