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Space billboards: Cosmic commercials

Space ads shoot for the stars, promising universal reach but sparking debates on ethics and the environment.

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Quantumrun Foresight
September 11, 2024

Insight summary

Space advertising uses satellites to show ads from space that are visible on Earth, sparking a blend of awe and commercial intrigue. This method involves deploying clusters of small satellites into orbits that ensure continuous sunlight, allowing them to shine over major cities and create fleeting high-visibility displays. While opening new horizons for global marketing, this technique also stirs debates about the environmental and ethical implications of commercializing our view of the night sky.

Space billboards context

Space advertising involves using satellite technology to display advertisements visible from Earth. Such a system could potentially deploy small satellites equipped with large parabolic reflectors or solar sails into sun-synchronous orbits. This positioning allows the satellites to remain illuminated by the sun, enabling the reflection of sunlight back to Earth to create visible, pixelated images in the night sky. Research from the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech) in Russia suggests that a formation of around 50 CubeSats could make this possible, projecting images over large urban centers for several minutes at a time.

The technical feasibility of long-term space advertising missions relies on precise satellite formation, flying, and control. A formation flying mission would use aerodynamic drag-based and impulsive maneuver controls to maintain and reconfigure the satellite positions, ensuring that each satellite's reflector is correctly oriented to collectively form an image. The effectiveness of such advertising depends on the orbital configuration, which must align with the sun's position to maximize visibility. This configuration is critical for ensuring that the image formed by the satellite constellation is visible from Earth, providing the desired coverage and duration of the advertisement.

Despite the technological promise, space advertising raises significant economic and environmental concerns. Skoltech's study showed that a typical mission could cost approximately USD $65 million, with potential revenues exceeding USD $100 million based on the number of displays and their visibility to dense urban populations. However, critics, including the nonprofit DarkSky International, argue that such advertisements could exacerbate light pollution and obscure the natural beauty of the night sky. These concerns highlight the ethical and practical debates surrounding the commercial use of space, questioning the balance between innovation and the preservation of our skies.

Disruptive impact

People might witness a shift in their relationship with the night sky, as satellites form logos or messages overhead. Such displays could turn routine celestial observation into opportunities for companies to imprint brand identities, potentially diluting the natural awe of stargazing with commercial messages. However, this also opens avenues for creative engagement in public events or communal gatherings aimed at viewing these unique advertisements, blending entertainment with technological spectacle.

For businesses, space advertising offers a novel marketing platform that could dramatically shift advertising strategies. Companies could leverage this technology to capture global attention quickly, especially during significant events like the Olympics or worldwide celebrations, where high visibility is guaranteed. This capability might lead companies to invest heavily in space-based advertisements, potentially diverting funds from traditional media. However, the backlash regarding space clutter and light pollution might also require businesses to navigate public relations carefully, balancing innovation with corporate responsibility.

Governments may need to develop regulations that manage the physical and aesthetic impact of orbital advertisements. Policies may need to address issues such as debris management, light pollution, and the commercial use of space to prevent conflicts among commercial, scientific, and public interests. International cooperation will be essential, as the effects of space advertising transcend national boundaries. Additionally, this new form of advertising could stimulate satellite technology advancements and regulations supporting sustainable space commerce.

Implications of space billboards

Wider implications of space billboards may include:

Increased public interest in space technology leading to greater educational opportunities in STEM fields, enhancing workforce skills in aerospace and technology sectors.

Legal frameworks to regulate the placement and timing of space advertisements to minimize disruptions to astronomical research.

Consumer behavior shifting as people develop brand loyalty based on the novelty and visibility of space-based advertisements, affecting traditional advertising strategies.

Space clutter and potential debris from advertising satellites leading to stricter international agreements on satellite launches and space traffic management.

The environmental concern over light pollution driving technology companies to develop less intrusive forms of space advertisements, fostering advancements in satellite design.

Cultural shifts occurring as global populations get accustomed to corporate messages in the night sky, potentially diminishing the cultural significance of celestial events.

A surge in demand for space-based advertising campaigns during large-scale global events, creating peak periods of satellite launches and increased economic activity.