It’s been done! Not for science, but music. In 1970 some promoters wanted to produce a Canadian version of Woodstock. instead of one venue they chartered a train and played across Canada, until they ran out of money. The journey was memorized in The Festival Express. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festival_Express
Comments
But since the idea was not to lose lots amounts of money as quickly as possible, but rather only less money over the course of a few months, that idea went nowhere.
To call it a pipe dream would do pipe dreams a disservice.