First 1,000 Customers Also Entered into Drawing for Zero-Gravity Training

A year from now, one lucky customer of Circle Around The Moon could be preparing for the ride of a lifetime. The company recently launched the first sweepstakes to offer a trip around the moon. Each purchase at CircleAroundTheMoon.com earns an automatic entry into the sweepstakes.

As it stands now, a ticket to circle the moon will currently set the ambitious traveler back $100 million. But the prize may not be out of reach for space aficionados who make a purchase of $100 from Circle Around The Moon Inc. Customers who purchase one of the collectibles offered at CircleAroundTheMoon.com -- a zero-gravity pen and a futuristic desk clock, each priced at $100 -- are automatically entered into the sweepstakes, which is open to participants worldwide and runs through midnight, October 11, 2006.

Circle Around the Moon founder and president Stephan May is optimistic about the outcome of the sweepstakes. "When Space Adventures Ltd. announced they were offering commercial flights to the moon for $100 million, I realized that only a select few people would have the opportunity to go," May explained. "We wanted to make the opportunity available to anyone. I think the world needs a bit of hope right now."

In addition to the moon orbit sweepstakes, the company today rolled out two early-bird customer incentive programs. The first 1,000 customers to make purchases from CircleAroundTheMoon.com will be entered into a drawing for zero-gravity training at Space Adventures Ltd. And for every 100,000 entries, Circle Around The Moon Inc. will hold a drawing for an additional zero-gravity training or centrifuge training prize.

May said he has long been captivated by the prospect of space travel and tourism. In combining that passion with his entrepreneurial drive and a conviction that space travel should be widely accessible, he hopes to change how the world views flights to the moon -- or beyond.

"This sweepstakes is a huge milestone in the movement to make space travel common practice," May said. "However, our dream cannot be realized without customer participation. Together we can make commercial space travel a reality."

"One hundred dollars doesn't really get you much these days. But now there's a chance it can get you the moon!" May added.

FMI: www.circlearoundthemoon.com