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NASA vehicle assembly building at the Kennedy Space Center. (Jonathan Newton / The Washington Post)
The constant influence of American companies on every aspect of daily life – from the Allstate Sugar Bowl to the Minute Maid Park – could soon conquer a new frontier.
The final frontier.
NASA's director Jim Bridenstine has asked the space agency to strengthen its brand by selling naming rights for rockets and spacecraft and allowing its astronauts to appear in commercials and boxes of cereals.
While officials point out that nothing has been decided, the idea could mark a giant cultural leap for the taxpayer-funded government agency and could come up against ethical rules that prevent government officials to use the public service for private purposes.
NASA strongly opposes the approval of a particular product or company, even calling M & Ms astronauts in the "chocolate-coated chocolates" space. candy "for fear of seeming to favor a brand of candy.
But at a recent NASA Advisory Board meeting, Bridenstine announced he was setting up a committee to look at what he called the "provocative questions" of turning his rockets into soundboards. corporate display.
"Is it possible for NASA to offset some of its costs by selling the naming rights of its spacecraft, or the naming rights of its rockets," said Bridenstine. "I tell you that there is 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.
NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine gives an interview in his office in June. (Jonathan Newton / The Washington Post)
He also said that he hoped that astronauts would not only be more accessible to journalists, but also that they would participate in marketing opportunities to promote their brands – and that of the space agency.
"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 effort is part of a broader effort to generate more private sector involvement in the low Earth orbit. NASA is already counting on companies to ship cargo to the space station – and is already on the brink of relying on companies to provide crews. The White House has also said it wants to end direct funding for the International Space Station and cede the operations of the laboratory into orbit to a private entity. At the same time, other companies are looking to develop their own commercial space stations. And the White House is working to loosen regulations to promote private sector growth.
"While NASA is considering the future of space stations in the private sector, it is vital to explore this type of innovative business concepts to ensure that the United States maintains a low-Earth-orbit presence." said Mike Gold, chairman of the new NASA committee. .
This idea of privatizing the International Space Station has come up against congressional opposition, which has stated that the United States should not give up control of an asset in which they have invested close to 100 billion dollars.
Similarly, the idea of selling naming rights or bringing astronauts into ads has sparked the skepticism of many NASA experts. Scott Kelly, the former NASA astronaut who spent nearly a year in space, said in an e-mail to The Washington Post that "it would be a radical change from the rules prohibiting officials from using their public functions for private purposes ". "But I guess that's the world we live in now. "
Michael Lopez-Alegria, also a former NASA astronaut, said that by approving the products, NASA could find itself competing with a growing commercial sector that is trying to free up space for them. masses.
"NASA or any government agency will have a hard time getting into a position where it can become a de facto endorser of this product or product," he said. "For me, it's like nails on a board. It's not fair "
He said that he was also concerned that if Congress sees NASA getting private sector funding, he could say, "We will not pay anymore. "
Scott Amey, the general counsel for the Oversight Project on Government, a monitoring group, said the government "should focus entirely on what is most important for the public interest, not on the gains private. In fact, if a project is commercially viable, it should not have to rely on American taxpayer or astronaut funds, which could be divided in their professional responsibilities. "
The idea is a pivotal moment for the agency, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year and is gaining attention as it is about to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the lunar landings next year. He is also preparing to fly astronauts from the US for the first time since the Space Shuttle was withdrawn in 2011, and Bridenstine said he wanted the new committee to study the possibility of sending tourists to the space station. with government astronauts.
Ryan Gosling's "First Man," starring Neil Armstrong, will soon be released in theaters as interest in the agency intensifies. Last year, NASA collaborated on 143 documentary projects, 41 TV shows, and 25 feature films at different levels of participation, ranging from providing video footage to access NASA facilities. Applications for the use of NASA's logo are "really gangbusters," said Bert Ulrich, NASA's Multimedia Liaison Officer. Requests to use the logo on T-shirts and other commercial items came once or twice a week, he said. Now, on average several times a day – and there are NASA themed clothing designed for Target, Old Navy, Lands End, Coach and H & M.
Designer Heron Preston even sells the NASA T-shirt for $ 270.
According to Gold, this would give another look, which said he would look at how the logo is used "and any changes that might be needed to further exploit the symbol to encourage exploration of space" and promote children to study. engineering, science and mathematics.
If NASA were able to relax its restrictions, marketing and branding could generate significant revenue. A study conducted last year by the Science and Technology Policy Institute, a research and development center funded by the federal government, showed that a private space station could earn between $ 455 and $ 1.2 billion a year. rights, to film in space, to conduct research and to welcome tourists.
The study estimated that leasing a module from a space station could generate up to $ 25 million for 60 days, or more than $ 416,000 a day. He noted that companies pay between $ 8 and $ 13 million to sponsor golf tournaments, and some companies have paid up to $ 20 million for stadium naming rights. A NASA economic advisor has suggested a boxing match in space – a "freefall fight", he called – which could become a pay-per-event event.
Other countries have been more willing to cash in.
In 1999, Pizza Hut paid for its logo on a Russian rocket. In the mid-1990s, an Israeli dairy company filmed an advertisement on the Mir space station and two Russian cosmonauts even appeared on QVC to sell a pen that could write. in a weightless environment.
"Is this a pen that you would recommend to use in the space?" Asked the host.
"Yes, they said that they love this pen," said the translator during the live broadcast.
In 1993, a Georgian company called Space Marketing proposed to place a billboard in the space so large that it would be visible from the Earth. But the plan sparked the disapproval of some members of Congress, who mocked the idea, saying that space was a common place that should remain free of publicity.
Edward J. Markey, then a member of Massachusetts Congress, lamented the possibility that children would like "on a falling billboard".
"Every sunrise and sunset would carry the logo of Coca-Cola or GM or the Marlboro Man," he said. "It would make our morning and evening sky, often a source of inspiration and comfort, the moral equivalent of a bus."
Yet companies have found a way to include space in their marketing campaigns, and many brands such as Tang have benefited from their affiliation to the space program. When the Mir space station was destabilized, Taco Bell put a huge floating tarpaulin in the Pacific Ocean and claimed that if part of the Mir struck her, she would give everyone in the country a free taco.
More recently, Budweiser has announced its intention to be "the first beer on Mars," as part of a barley-free environmental barley study plan. the International Space Station.
"While socialization on Mars could take place in the near future, Budweiser is taking steps to better understand how its ingredients react in microgravity environments, so that when we get to Mars, Budweiser will be there.
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