Sorry to hear that, Doug. At a low launch cost or with favorable exchange rates, I think that the the numbers work. I have not seen the JPL hit rates, but listenting to you describe your own hit rates with your current promotional effort (nil) has been interesting.

As a general principle, if money can made doing something, then someone will do it. Repeating an earlier post, I suspect that there are perhaps three types of firms in general who might undertake such an effort.

One type would be one wanting a large bag of mixed currencies: Euros, Dollars, Yen, etc.

Another type might be led by someone in the entertainment or electronics industry who is interested in the challenge of pioneering an entirely new form of entertainment. Personal attainment would be their motivator.

The last type might be led by someone from the space news industry, who is interested in becoming THE leader in that sector.

If, and this is a big IF, IKI obtains government funding for the 2007 slot, then its only a question of someone obtaining exculsive rights, and setting up the hosting computers and the billing system.

Or perhaps Musk may try to obtain a revenue stream separate from government orders to provide demand for the construction and flight of his launch vehicles. Revenue for the factory, so to speak.

Of course, the future is always so much more interesting than anything we can imagine, so who knows? The attempt may be made by someone else for reasons which we can not foresee.

If any of these come to pass, clearly you'll have to change your own focus. The images will be private property, so the opportunity to improve them and turn them into a book will simply not be there.

I agree with you about the Moon - there's more interest among those who are "enthusiastic"
for images from Mars. The Moon is really a pretty boring and ugly place - no colors, and no activity other than impat. someone once said is looked like plaster of paris. The Moon's only advantages for private rovers are shorter flight times, and shorter communication/control times. But these are outweighed by the plainess of the Moonscape.

I suspect that a rover set down near to the so-called "Face" could do quite well in the general market.