diff --git a/backup_cosmicvoyage b/backup_cosmicvoyage
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..eb86360
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backup_cosmicvoyage
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+#! /bin/bash
+
+SHIPS=~/ships
+BACKUP=~/backup-ships
+
+test -d $SHIPS || (echo "ships does not exit" ; exit 1)
+
+test -d $BACKUP || mkdir $BACKUP
+
+cd $SHIPS
+
+TS=`date -u +%Y-%m-%dZ%H:%M`
+
+TGZ="$BACKUP/ships-$TS.tar.gz"
+
+echo backing up $SHIPS to $TGZ
+
+tar cvfz $TGZ */*.txt */LICENSE
+
+test -f $TGZ && echo backup of file $TGZ was successful
+