In the true spirit of being a child of Rocket Internet, vehicle classifieds Carmudi Nigeria recently revealed that it’s started to list space shuttles on its websites. Yes, this means that any person with the ability to fork out around US$27-million can now have his very own space shuttle.
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The site offers vehicle deals ranging from motorbikes, trucks to little carbon-friendly cars but has recently decided that its customers need the opportunity to blastoff into outer space. More than four different space ferries are already listed throughout the Carmudi platforms in Pakistan, Myanmar and the United Arab Emirates.
The models can of course be used for recreational purposes or simply as an artifact showcasing some of man’s greatest achievements. This is the site’s first listing, the Space Shuttle Orbiter:
While there are classic models available from as early as the year 1985, there are also some newer models from 2013. All of them are said to be completely usable and work efficiently. It’s important to note that the runway charges and training sessions are not included.
The listings were put up by trusted dealers which expanded from Russia and the US into emerging markets. Their approach to enter this uncommon branch derives from the fact that space shuttles are more and more regarded as a reliable investment opportunity.
Dr. Nod Riley-Truxman, Chairman of the International Space Shuttle Trading Federation (ISSTF) said that it’s crucial for startup companies to maintain an edge over their competitors and that this is an extremely lucrative market:
“People need to learn that space shuttles are no longer a topic preserved for astronauts and NASA-engineers. With the growing interest, you can see that an increasing number of people are discovering the potential of the space shuttle market. The listings on Carmudi elucidate that there is a promising market for such vehicles, be it as an investment opportunity or just for leisure purposes. I can say that Carmudi is certainly ahead of its time, or more precisely, very much in time.”
What this recent move might mean for Nigeria’s role in the inter-galactic startup scene is still unclear.
