We are located in Houston, Texas
and can be reached by e-mail
or toll-free at 866-7 ROCKET (866-776-2538), or at +1.281.971.4019
between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. CDT (between 13:00 and 22:00
GMT).
What is Name A Star Live?
Name A Star Live is a unique name-a-star product:
We also
provide you with personalized certificates bearing the
name of your star, and certifying that the launch occurred,
and more.
Can you provide an example of a star name, message,
etc.?
When you buy a star through our
on-line shopping cart you will be asked to provide a
name for your star, to designate for whom the star is
named, to write a message, etc. Here's an example:
Star Name
Registration
Choose Star Name: (max 25 char.):
Alice
Registration Date: (m/d/yyyy): 3/2/2004
In Honor Of: (max 30 char.): Our 25th Anniversary
Constellation: Andromeda
Message to
recipient
To: Alice
Message: (max 200 char. including spaces): No matter
what, we will always be under one sky together. Thanks
for the best 25 years of my life. I look forward to
many more. Happy Silver Anniversary. I love you ALWAYS
and FOREVER.
From: Tom
What
are constellations?
Astronomers have divided the sky
into areas, as perceived from the Earth, so as to create
a consistent spherical map, rather like the markings
on a soccer ball. In this way, 88 areas or constellations
were formed.
Star names — how do they arise?
Only a handful of stars bear names,
arising from Arabic, Greek and Roman mythology. The
vast majority of stars are referred to only by their
astronomical coordinates or catalog numbers, they are
unnamed.
What
are star catalogs?
Over the centuries, astronomers
have devised various different star catalogs/listings.
They refer to stars by numbers or coordinates. Our register
refers to stars by name — your chosen name —
and is thus personal rather than scientific.
Will my star name be
officially recognized?
Naming a star is a symbolic rather
than scientific gift. Our register is not used by the
scientific community although it is a perfectly valid
register. Scientists refer to stars only by their astronomical
coordinates or catalog number. In referring to and listing
stars by name — the name you choose — we
have created a symbolic and personal rather than astronomically
significant listing.
Will I be able to see
the star that I have named?
Only a handful of stars are visible
to the naked eye. The stars in our register are outside
naked eye visibility. Therefore, to view the star you
will need a pair of binoculars or a telescope. In most
cases, a telescope is required.
Will I be able to see
the constellation?
You should be able to spot the constellation
with the naked eye. Clearly, some constellations are
easier to spot than others. How often and for how long
each year the constellation is visible will depend upon
1) the constellation's location in the universe, and
2) from where in the world you are stargazing.
Are stars named more
than once in your database?
A star is named only once in our
database. The name that you have chosen will be included
in our database and launched into space as part of our
Earth-orbiting "Celestial Archive." Click
here to see the schedule
for our next launch.
Can the star I've named be named in another
company's database?
No one (or everyone) owns the stars
— choose your viewpoint. There are over a hundred
different scientific registers that catalog stars. Each
refers to stars independently. A non-scientific database
of star names is no different. Even though there are
millions of stars, a star in our database could be referred
to by another name in another company's register/database.
Can I buy a star?
Clearly, you cannot buy a star.
The stars belong to all of us or none of us, whichever
you prefer, and they are not for sale. Naming a star
is a symbolic gift idea which obviously does not involve
any legal title/ownership.
Can
I return my purchase?
We offer a full refund on all of
our gift sets and accessories, except for Instant Gift
Sets and other items that are delivered by e-mail: Digital
items are non-refundable. We do not refund
shipping costs. You are responsible for bearing the
cost of returning goods to us for refund. You are also
responsible for bearing the costs of re-shipping an
order in case you provided us an incorrect shipping
address when you originally placed your order, or if
the package we mail to the addressee is not picked up
by the addressee and is thus either abandoned or lost.
Requests for refunds must be made within 30 days of
the date of purchase. Note that Refunds are provided
via the credit card you used for your purchase.
When
is the next launch?
The launch window for our next launch
is late July/early August 2008. Launch will occur aboard
a Falcon 1 launch vehicle provided by Space
Exploration Technologies Corporation -- SpaceX.
As launch dates and times are subject to change
-- even at the last minute -- we encourage you to visit
this Web page often for the latest launch news:
We update this Web page as soon as news develops. Launch
dates and times can change due to technical, weather,
or range safety issues. Please visit the Services
section of our Web site for additional information on
upcoming launches.
How
long will the Space Services spacecraft stay in Earth
orbit?
The length of orbital stay depends
on the final altitude of the primary satellite launched
on the mission. Space Services' spacecraft is a “secondary
payload” aboard each mission. For previous spaceflights
conducted by the Space Services team the orbital life
span ranged from two years to several hundred years.
Does
the service create orbital debris pollution?
Space Services' spacecraft is carefully
designed so as not to create orbital debris. Our spacecraft
stays permanently attached to a rocket stage that orbits
until it harmlessly re-enters and is completely consumed
by Earth’s atmosphere.
For missions which are launched
aboard a commercially purchased launcher, the Office
of Commercial Space Transportation, Federal Aviation
Administration issues a license which verifies that
the Space Services payload does not contribute to orbital
debris. For missions not subject to FAA approval, Space
Services voluntarily follows the same guidelines which
prevent orbital pollution from its missions.
The launch is often delayed ... Why?
Space Services spacecraft are "secondary
payloads" on board rockets that launch commercial
or scientific payloads -- called "primary payloads"
-- into space.
A number of factors can cause a launch delay:
• Technical problems with either the
rocket or the primary payload: Despite the
fact that humans have been launching rockets into space
since the late 1950s, the state of rocket technology
is still such that launch schedules are not as dependable
as airline, train or bus schedules. NASA space shuttles,
for example, often experience launch delays.
• Range Safety: Much like airplanes
follow certain flight paths into and out of airports,
for public safety reasons rockets blasting off from
a launch facility fly through a predetermined corridor
away from populated areas. Local, state and federal
authorities must make plans far in advance of each launch
so as to restrict ground, air and sea traffic inside
the corridor during the launch window. If the launch
is delayed past the launch window, then range safety
arrangements will have to again be made for another
launch window.
• Delays of other rocket launches:
If another rocket at the launch facility is delayed,
this can have a domino effect, resulting in a delay
of our launch.
• Obviously, inclement weather can
force a delay.
If you have any further questions
please contact
us.
