Ever thought what it would be like to look up at the sky and see an ad? Well, advertising in space may become a reality soon as a team of Russian researchers has published a study about it.
According to their report, a billboard-like constellation of 50 satellites in space could cost around $65 million dollar and still have a profitable turnaround.
Researchers from the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology along with the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT) have presented a compelling case for space ads that could turn them into a reality.
These billboard-like constellations will shine an ad on every corner of the Earth for months on end. According to their proposal, about 50 satellites at 12U CubeSat volume would enter the sun-synchronous orbit where they will always be exposed to direct sunlight while going around the planet.
After the satellites are deployed, they will unfurl parabolic reflectors that will help redirect all the sunlight toward Earth in a specified order. This order will form a holographic ad.
For the viewers on the ground, the holographic ad will look like a group of stars moving together. The satellites would be able to rearrange to show different ads too.
If the ads are shown to the right target audience, about $111 million of net income can be earned from them.
But just because you can show ads in space does not mean that you should. We have to take into account that most people would not want to see ads in the sky. It might be fascinating for a few minutes, but then it would quickly lose its amusement factor since it is only a glowing logo in the sky.
The technology is under development and it would take years to be ready for application.
