Astronomers Oppose Space Ads
- But the potential for advertising in the final frontier is closer than you might think.
- Space advertising can be broadly categorized into two types: Non-obstructive: Logos or advertisements on space suits, rockets, or other space objects.
Billboards in Space: The New Frontier of Advertising?
You won’t find a billboard in space… yet. But the potential for advertising in the final frontier is closer than you might think. The American Astronomical Society (AAS) has released a statement encouraging the enactment of laws to prevent “obtrusive space advertising” in the future. This move comes as private companies increasingly eye the cosmos for new advertising opportunities.
Space Advertising: A Closer Look
Space advertising can be broadly categorized into two types:
- Non-obstructive: Logos or advertisements on space suits, rockets, or other space objects. For example, in 2000, Pizza Hut paid
~$1m
to put its logo on a Russian Proton rocket. Pizza Hut donated a salami-style pizza to the space station’s cosmonauts as part of this novel marketing campaign. - Obstructive: Space ads that can be seen from the Ground Earth without a telescope or any other devices. This is more concerning, as imagine camping amidst a deep national forest and gazing at the celestial expanse only to observe a colossal billboard for Amazon.
This analysis revealed that companies like Amazon and other space-trialing brands could trigger a shift away from space advertising. The United States has already banned space billboard advertisements launching within the country. However, the international community could still launch satellites to project advertisements into the night sky which deviates from the concern about commercializing outer space. This culminated in the American Astronomical Society calling for an international ban.
Who’s Ready to Light Up the Cosmos?
Private Sector Pursuing Advertising in Space
- The case of Avant Space is particularly interesting. It launched a small satellite in 2024 to test the possibility of projecting ads into the visible spaces in the near future via lasers, as Space News reported. Although there isn’t any official or public billboard present, the technology stands ready.
- There’s also StartRocket, another Russian company. Similar to Avant Space, Startrocket was supposed to promote advertisements for a Russian PepsiCo subsidiary. The campaign would have utilized a constellation of orbiting satellites equipped with extremely reflective sails. Thankfully, conditions deterred them.
told Gizmodo that while there used to be only a handful of mostly government agencies involved in spaceflight, there are now “hundreds or thousands of private space companies vying for a piece of the space pie,” some of which may be interested in clogging up the night sky with ads.
Business Potential vs. Ethical Dilemma
Although there has already been an innovative attempt by Avant Space, there’s no competing companies on a global platform, anticipating a willingness to saturate the night sky with ads. According to a 2022 study, while a constellation of 50 satellites would cost approximately $65m
, it could generate env. While this indicates the profitability, many astrophysicists and astronomers across the globe view these measures detrimental as it has the potential to irrevocably damage the circle of discovery sparking more conflict.
