Out-Of-This-World Advertising
By Canadian Packaging staff
Design & Innovation General Bottling Astrobotic Technology Astroscale Falcon 9 rocket Griffin lander Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Pocari Sweat SpaceXJapanese company looks to create a lunar billboard for its sports drink with first ad on the Moon.
Move over Tang, the Pocari Sweat has landed… or at least that’s the plan for Japan’s Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. who look to launch a ‘time capsule’ can of its Pocari Sweat sports drink to the moon to hopefully be enjoyed by astronauts at some future and as yet undetermined point in time.
The capsule containing the Pocari Sweat beverage will be flown to the surface of the Moon by Astrobotic Technology‘s Griffin lander, itself launching aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in late 2016.
Called the ‘Lunar Dream‘ capsule, it will contain titanium plates engraved with messages submitted by people from around the world, as well as a serving of powdered Pocari Sweat.
The hope is that one day when future explorers once more go to the moon, they can pop open the can and have a Pocari Sweat after mixing the powder with water sourced from the moon.
Astrobotic chairman and chief science officer Red Whittaker says in a promotional video that, “I have had the greatest privilege of technology missions and ventures, but this one—for the moon landing with Pocari Sweat—is really about the new generation that comes up and the opportunity for everyone, however young, to involve, engage and have the experience of a lifetime.”
Surely this might be the world’s most expensive drink—if it was on this world—and while financial terms were not officially released, the Astrobotics website says it charges US$1.2 million per kilogram (2.2 pounds) to ferry payloads to the moon.
Otsuka Pharmaceutical is working with Singapore-based aerospace company Astroscale to design the beverage capsule to not only survive the launch and space trip, but also the environment of the lunar surface.
Astrosbotic is competing in the Google Lunar X prize, which offers US$30million in prizes to rocket scientists in an effort to kickstart private space exploration.
The contest offers US$20 million for the first team to land a rover on the moon, have it travel a minimum of 500 meters (1,650 feet) and send back Hi-Def video and images before the end of 2017.
The second team to succeed will win $5 million. The remaining $5 million in prizes is to any team meeting various milestones first.
At this time, there are 16 private teams vying for the prizes.
As for the Pocari Sweat titanium plates engraved with messages, you can submit a message by clicking HERE.
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