Happy Voyager 2 Anniversary!
over 6 years ago – Sun, Aug 20, 2017 at 10:25:17 PM

Exactly 40 years ago today, the Voyager 2 probe started its journey towards the exploration of the solar system, becoming the only spacecraft to study all four of the solar system's giant planets up close, and also providing amazing photographs in addition to scientific data.  

This is not always the case, as it's usually easier to construct an image based on the available data, than go up there and snap a picture. And that's what your fellow backer Jess Dempsey and I did to honor this peculiar day.  

On this map of Earth you can see several bright dots, like stars on a clean summer sky. That's where you all are! ...from the same viewpoint that the Voyager 2 would have enjoyed, looking back, on the day of its launch in 1977.

As you can see, you are many and far apart, but thanks to the kind 50 backers who provided their feedback (please click here if you want to do the same) I was kept informed as the dice spread everywhere all the way to Australia (so if you didn't get yours yet, it's just a matter of waiting a few more days while they clear customs).

Tomorrow a few more envelopes will be sent to the handful of backers that needed assistance, then all of you should be able to roll your Constellation Dice on September 5th, the day on which the Voyager 1 probe was launched, and celebrate!

16 days to launch!

Remember to mark your calendar, as another launch will mark the Voyager 1 Anniversary:  

This will be a three weeks "deluxe" campaign with a set limit of 500 backers, as most rewards will also include what's left of the remaining glow-in-the-dark and "silver" painted dice, which were announced on the last days (or after the end) of the original funding period, and turned out to be the very best this campaign has offered... but very few people found out about them.

Being hand painted, the glowing dice (and the "silver" painted ones) are extremely detailed and worth the higher manufacturing cost. In consideration of this, the new campaign will also offer a new "silver" painted version of the blue d10 couple (planets / moons).

There is more!

1000 fudge Desired Constellation will be reprinted in a translucent mixed color version (blue and black, with tiny silver glitter) resembling a night sky.

But the star of the party will be a completely new d6 dedicated to Astronauts and Cosmonauts, depicting the sky as it's seen from Low Earth Orbit, where the light blue fades to black. More details next week, along with the Constellation Dice Papercrafts (at last!)

Enjoy the Eclipse tomorrow :)

Boarding completed!
over 6 years ago – Wed, Aug 02, 2017 at 08:36:25 PM

The very last batch of envelopes is now in the hands of the kind and competent team at the central dispatchment postal office nearby the airport. Several trips were necessary in order to clear all the formalities, including having their stamp on every single new (one of 450) freshly printed invoice, that I had to redo in a simpler standardized format in order to be more easily understandable by customs.

All in all it's been a very demanding process due to the fact that every envelope had a different content. I am glad that I was able to successfully allow a valuable amount of customization for all your orders, but due to the long tail of time and effort that this kind of flexibility has brought in, I guess next time things shall be much more streamlined ;)

I understand many of you are eagerly waiting for their dice, and I appreciate your patience and understanding, so despite not really having a budget for this, I have decided to upgrade 250 of your untracked shipments to priority mail, as my heartfelt Thank You for supporting me in making this wild ride a reality.

This should save you about one week of waiting and bring back most of the deliveries in track with the expected timeline.

Please be so kind to let me know when your dice arrive, by completing the one minute survey at bit.ly/constellationdice-feedback so that I'll be able to track the deliveries. And don't forget to brag about them on your favorite social network :)

I am quite sure they will reach almost all of you before the end of August, in time for the Voyagers' 40th Anniversary celebrations!

Wave after wave
almost 7 years ago – Sat, Jul 22, 2017 at 10:49:12 PM

Shipping operations are proceeding smoothly. At the moment most of the envelopes destined to the EU have been sent, as well as all the "sample" tiers (worldwide).

The additional barcodes have arrived, and are being applied on the envelopes: those you see in the pictures were for priority mail (smaller packages). There is another type too, coming in rolls.

Unfortunately there was a procedure issue with international shipments, that I have been working closely with my accountant (and local post office) to solve, namely the need for a simpler formal invoice to be enclosed in a separate pocket, and attached to the back of each extra-EU envelope, in addition to even more paperwork to demonstrate exportation (for fiscal purposes) for every single one! That's good to know for next time. Anyway, for now...

This means that international shipment will be mailed next week, despite our best efforts.
But then we'll be sure everything has been done properly, and will enjoy warmer waves:

Let's go!
almost 7 years ago – Mon, Jul 17, 2017 at 01:16:05 AM

It's been a long and delicate process. All the dice have been put in their respective envelopes, and the quantities verified before closing and weighting them. The work went on by choosing the best shipping option for each one. Depending on weight and value, some are going to be upgraded to tracked shipping, or insured, so the postage paid might be more or less than the amount stated in the rewards (being also inclusive of packaging costs, fees, and taxes).

Anyway, the first batch of smaller / lighter envelopes is going to be mailed tomorrow!

For the next, to be sent through the postal warehouse near the airport, there are some more steps to complete. The envelopes need to be catalogued, stacked in boxes and labelled with additional barcodes (which I ordered at the post office, but are not here yet).

I really hope to be able to complete this monumental task before the next weekend!

Enjoy the view
almost 7 years ago – Mon, Jul 10, 2017 at 12:51:26 AM

The new arrivals have been split in hundreds of bags and labelled. Next step will be to assign them to your envelopes. In the meanwhile... enjoy this view of Ursa Major!