Elon Musk's Crazy Idea, Make A Billboard In Space

SpaceX via Unsplash

JAKARTA - SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is increasingly showing his ambitions regarding space travel and exploration. Interestingly, Musk will also be playing advertisements in space.

Last May, Musk announced that the company would launch DOGE-1, the first mission to be fully paid for with the cryptocurrency Dogecoin. At that time, the mission will launch a small satellite (CubeSat) on a rideshare journey to the Moon next year and the satellite belongs to startup Geometric Energy Corporation (GEC), a research and development company in Canada.

"After formally transacting with DOGE for a deal of this magnitude, GEC and SpaceX have established DOGE as the unit of account for the Moon business in the space sector," said GEC Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Samuel Reid.

Musk's goal is to show ads while traveling in space. Later, Musk will place billboards into low-Earth orbit using the CubeSat.

“This mission will demonstrate the application of cryptocurrencies beyond Earth orbit and establish the basis for interplanetary trade. We're so excited to launch DOGE-1 to the Moon!," said SpaceX VP of Commercial Sales Tom Ochinero.

The CubeSat satellite will display a pixelated display screen on which advertising content emitted from Earth will appear. Start-up GEC says in addition to advertising, screens in space will feature the company's logo and art.

"The rocket will take the CubeSat into orbit and release it before the rocket reaches the Moon. In addition to advertising, the screen can also be used to display logos and art," explains Reid.

Furthermore, upon reaching orbit, the screen display will be recorded using the selfie stick mounted on the side of the CubeSat. The footage is then broadcast live on platforms like YouTube or Twitch. And of course, anyone on Earth can see the advertising content displayed on the screens of these space satellites.

Anyone who wants their work or products to be displayed, including artists and entrepreneurs, can use the CubeSat display screen. Reid added, displaying advertisements in space is a democratic concept.

"In this concept hopefully people don't waste money on something inappropriate, insulting or offensive," he said as quoted by Gadgets NDTV, Sunday, August 15.