SpaceX Is Going To Launch Ads Into Space

In another bit of “you’ve got to be kidding me” news, it seems that there will soon be advertisements in space. Canadian-startup, Geometric Energy Corporation (GEC) is teaming up with SpaceX and building a satellite that will project ads… from space. 

First, there were billionaires in space. Now it’s advertisements. Cool. 

The satellite, called a CubeSat, will be equipped with a pixelated display screen where advertisements, logos, and art will appear. GEC plans to load the satellite onto SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, which will then take it into orbit and release it before the rocket reaches the moon. 

Once CubeSat is in orbit, a… *sigh*… selfie-stick attached to the side will film the display screen. The footage is then live-streamed on YouTube or Twitch because of course. Anyone who isn’t already inundated enough with ads can tune in to watch … *eye-roll*… space ads. 

Capitalism Across the Night Sky

The good news is that you won’t be able to see the ads in the sky. That would be ridiculous. CubeSat is only 4 inches by 4 inches by 4 inches. Pixels on the side of the CubeSat are filmed by the selfie-stick where anyone can stream from their personal device. We won’t be seeing billboards in the night sky. Yet. 

Anyone is allowed to advertise whatever they want as long as they pay for tokens via crypto-currency. The amount of tokens you buy determines the colors, the brightness, and the display time. The purchase price, however, has not yet been set. You can imagine that it won’t be cheap to, you know, advertise from space. 

The point of this whole silly project is to “democratize access” to space, according to GEC co-founder and CEO Samuel Reid. 

“There might be companies which want to depict their logo… or it might end up being a bit more personal and artistic,” Reid said. 

Companies might want to depict their logo? Might? Has this guy experienced capitalism at all? 

“Hopefully, people don’t waste money on something inappropriate, insulting, or offensive,” the Canadian startup founder and CEO added. 

Hopefully?! There’s no screening process?! As long as you have plenty of dogecoin you can put whatever the hell you want on that rabbit turd of a satellite, I guess. Seems a little irresponsible considering what humans are capable of. 

A Different Kind of Future in Space

This is not the only space controversy from SpaceX or its founder Elon Musk. Starlink is a project that launched a massive constellation of satellites to create a low-cost global internet link. Astronomers are not happy about the continued pollution of the night sky. Though, from an infrastructure point of view, it’s actually not a bad idea. Of all the things to launch into space, a systematic, affordable way to provide internet to the masses is not one of the worst to come out of corporate America. 

Streaming ads from a tiny space cube, however, doesn’t seem like it should be on a list of high priorities. Perhaps because of its small size and weight, CubeSat is able to sneak aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 like some kind of capitalist stowaway. 

It could be that what ends up being streamed will be fun. Who knows? Perhaps even famed street artist Banksy could tag this CubeSat with his signature satirical commentary. Maybe we’ll even get a good Super Bowl ad out of it. Regardless of what is streamed, space ads are definitely happening. 

SpaceX may be the figurative and literal vehicle for this project, but this space ad business is the idea child of Canadian-startup GEC. So, if you want to blame anyone for the birth of Capitalism! In! Space! Blame Canada.