Kickstarter Death Star: Open-Source Moon Laser Raises £57,000 Of £542 Quadrillion Goal

Kickstarter To Build 'Open Source Death Star' Raises £57,000

A funding drive to gather £542 quadrillion to build a Death Star has gathered early support on Kickstarter.

The project to build the "open source" moon-sized weapon of unimaginable destructive power has so far raised £57,000 on the website Kickstarter.

It is a response to the US government turning down a petition to build its own Death Star, after more than 34,000 people signed up for the idea on a public 'your voice in government' website.

In its response to that petition, President Obama's administration said it "does not support blowing up planets".

It also asked "Why would we spend countless taxpayer dollars on a Death Star with a fundamental flaw that can be exploited by a one-man starship?"

The crowd-funding page for the open source version said that "in light of continuing threats we should build it ourselves".

They also posted this detailed initial design:

So far the project is asking for just £20 million, which they say is enough to draw up "more detailed plans and enough chicken wire to protect reactor exhaust ports".

It is offering backers the chance to have their name "etched onto the underneath of one of the MSE-6-series repair droids used on the finished station" if they pledge £10 or more.

Yes - it's not entirely serious. The Leicestershire-based instigator of the drive said that:

"The main challenge is assuring Kickstarter that this is a joke and not a serious project. As proof, the goal has been set high enough to make successful funding almost impossible."

But we hope he does it - and have kicked in £10. What could possibly go wrong?

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