Comment by cmancini | Hacker News Reader

Comment by cmancini | Hacker News Reader

Most people talk about 1) tourism and 2) research which makes sense, but I can see a lot of benefit for marketing and branding. Imagine promo videos of someone using your gadget in space. A private company could fly up a few models/actors, a few of the latest brands goods, and get shots looking back at earth or floating around.

Luxury goods like watches and pens have already capitalized on this (Fisher Space Pen, Omega Moonwatch). I could see other high margin luxury brands snagging a seat:

- Sneakers (Air Jordans -> Space Jordans?)

- Jewelry (Diamond industry could play up a diamonds/stars theme)

- Fashion (play up the weightless/effortless aspect)

Any brand could get in on it if someone figured out the economics of a testing service. Small brands and Kickstarter projects could pool resources and fly up a few hundred toys and say they were 'tested in space'.

> fly up a few models/actors

More like 1, even for the biggest brands. This is going to be way expensive. I think you are onto a good idea, except I get the impression NASA will prioritize missions that contribute to commercial or science R&D and/or production.

From the press release:

To qualify, commercial and marketing activities must either: require the unique microgravity environment to enable manufacturing, production or development of a commercial application; have a connection to NASA’s mission; or support the development of a sustainable low-Earth orbit economy.

That's a good point. There will be prioritization, and the costs could be so high as to rule out brand plays even if they could get the rules interpreted as loosely as possible. My idea might need to bake a bit longer. :)

> Imagine promo videos of someone using your gadget in space.

Corny as hell, and we can just film it on a greenscreen in LA.

Also, people look really freakin' goofy in zero-G.

>Corny as hell, and we can just film it on a greenscreen in LA.

Or the "Vomit Comet"

“the best and brightest minds in the world ...”

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