Russian Startup Proposes Space Advertising That Will Forever Change the Skies Over Your City

Tired of seeing billboards advertising all kinds of products everywhere? Well if you feel that way you might just get tired of looking up at the sky if this Russian company brings their idea to fruition. Advertising is the core of most businesses and this is evident by millions of billboards advertising all kind of products and services in urban areas, along highways and country roads. However, the idea of filling the beautiful night sky with giant digital billboard never dawned in the minds of advertisers until recently.

What better way to reach millions of people on earth than to advertise in the heavens above. A Russian startup StartRocket has proposed using satellites to display ads across the night sky. The project if it becomes a reality will cost $65 million per mission and turn the dark night sky into a beautiful light show full of company logos.

The idea is to launch 50 mini satellites that will fly in formation called CubeSats with each satellite as large as a 350 square-foot solar sail. Each solar sail will be a pixelized screen with reflectors. Before the project even gets off the ground, the right reflector size yielding a certain pixel magnitude will have to be determined as well as the land area the reflector can cover and light intensity.

Each CubeSat formation will be able to display multiple ads from different companies much the same way as today’s digital billboards. Project leader Vlad Sitnikov noted that this commodification of the sky is the next logical step in advertising. “We are ruled by brands and events,” he said. “The Super Bowl, Coca-Cola, Brexit, the Olympics, Mercedes, FIFA, Supreme, and the Mexican wall.” “The economy is the blood system of society. Entertainment and advertising are at its heart,” he added.

The price tag of $65 million is rather economical according to the company and has the potential to triple a corporation profits by reaching millions of potential customers. The project will not be without controversy and will face hurdles overcoming environmentalist who will undoubtedly see it as another opportunity by billionaire corporations to tarnish the natural beauty of the night sky for profit.