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Talk about uncharted territory: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is exploring its sponsorships for its journeys beyond the exosphere.
"Why
NASA's next rockets might say Budweiser on the side, " reads the headline in the Washington Post that broke the story Monday.
NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine
boosting its branding by selling naming rights to rockets and spacecraft and its astronauts to appear in commercial and cereal boxes, as if they were celebrity athletes, "explains
WaPoChristian Davenport, adding that "officials stress that nothing has been decided."
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"I'd like to see you growing up, instead of maybe wanting
To be like a professional sports star, I'd like to see them growing up to be a NASA astronaut, or a NASA scientist, "Bridenstine says.
He also asks, "Why
would we want to sell the naming rights? " carryforwards Doug Messier for Parabolic Arc. "Well, then, they can then embed in their NASA marketing campaigns. We can embed NASA into the culture
fabric of American society and inspire generations of folks
exploration."
The former Republican congressman and Navy pilot took the helm at NASA last april after contentious confirmation hearings in Congress, as NPR's
Nsikan Akpan carryforwards. His ideas would be a major break with
current standards.
"NASA has steadfastly stayed away from endorsing any particular product or company – even going so far as to call the M & Ms astronauts gobble in
space 'candy-coated chocolates' out of fear of appearing to favor one brand of candy, " WaPoDavenport's points out.
Indeed, "unlike their
Russian counterparts – who have filmed commercials for Pizza
Hut, RadioShack, and an Israeli brand of milk while in space – American astronauts go to considerable lengths to avoid the appearance of promoting or engaging in commercial activities, " writes Marina Koren
for the Atlantic in a piece that argues that "NASA's space probes should not be tacky billboards."
In 1985, NASA agreed to
Cola and Pepsi on board a space shuttle, but adapted to the subject of microbial testing.
containers. 'NASA says other soft-drink companies are welcome to currency containers for shuttle testing,' New York Times article from the time said, "
Koren adds.
Purpose "Bridenstine is very keen on handing over the U.S.'s space activities to the private sector," writes David Meyer for FortuneQuincing the Trump take over operation of the International Space
Station. That plan "has hit resistance in Congress. There's also the small problem of the ISS, but not the Russians, Europeans, Japanese, and the U.S.
Canadians are also involved, "Meyer points out.
"'The question is: Is it possible?' Mr. Bridenstine said in remarks that were broadcast on
NASA TV and have been debated in press accounts since then. 'And the answer is, I do not know,' " carryforwards Kenneth Chang for the New York Times.
"The proposal by NASA's new administrator comes at a time when the Trump
it has never been so busy, but has not asked Congress for a lot of money to pay for them. President Trump Established a National Space Council last year, led by Vice President
Mike Pence, and wants to return to the moon. But the administration's budget proposals
suggest that financing for NASA will remain flat through 2023, "Chang observes.
A new Regulatory and Policy Committee headed by Mike Gold will explores the proposals.
"For better or for worse, one of the things that spaceflight has fostered is the idea of a space pristine atmosphere," Robert Pearlman, a space historian
founder of the CollectSpace website, tells tea
penisLoren Grush. "We leave our problems behind, and for some people, branding has gone overboard here on Earth. That's one of the objections that might be
raised. "
Plus, there remains a huge unanswered question. Barring the branded rocket ship discovering a previously untapped audience of eager consumers somewhere in the vast
universe, how much impact will a logo on its side really have?
Auckland (New Zealand) University marketing expert Bodo Lang told NewstalkZBLarry Williams
"It's a potential great idea," according to wrote a report on the radio station's website. But, Lang continued, "One of the downsides, in my opinion,
is obviously the one of many, many millions of people watching rocket launches are well and truly gone. I'm not sure how many eyeballs they are going to catch. "
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