NASA is exploring the possibility of placing advertisements on rockets, allowing astronauts to use them: report

FILE: An astronaut from the International Space Station was seen last week.

(NASA)

A NASA spacecraft to Mars may someday feature a Mars chocolate bar logo plastered on one of its wings.

NASA has called for a new committee to explore branding and approval opportunities, reports said Monday.

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine announced that he is setting up a committee to examine the "provocative questions" of turning rockets into business panels.

"Is it possible for NASA to offset some of its costs by selling the naming rights of its spaceship or the naming rights of its rockets?" Said Bridenstine at a meeting of the C & # 39; is the interest for that now. The question is: is it possible? The answer is: I do not know, but we want someone to advise us if that is the case.

He also said he hoped that astronauts would participate in marketing or approval opportunities, The Post reported.

"I'd like to see kids growing up, instead of wanting to perhaps be like a professional sports star, I'd like them to grow up wanting to be NASA's astronaut or NASA scientist" , did he declare. I'd like to see, maybe someday, NASA astronauts on the cover of a box of cereals, integrated with American culture. "

The White House has said it wants to stop direct funding for the international space station and divest itself to a private entity, the Post reported.

Bridenstine said he hoped the newly formed committee would explore tourist flights to the international space station alongside government astronauts.

Critics have also begun to rebuff the idea. NASA fans also view the agency as a "safe haven for corporate interests," reported The Verge.

"For better or for worse, one of the things that spaceflight has favored is the idea that space is an immaculate atmosphere," Robert Borghman, a space historian, told The Verge.

"We leave our problems behind and, for some people, the image has taken over the Earth. This is one of the objections that could be raised, "said Pearlman, founder of the CollectSpace website.

According to the report, the riders would also likely offset a fraction of NASA's largest projects, which range from hundreds to billions of dollars.