Advertising is everywhere else, so why wouldn’t it be in space? The idea of orbiting billboards isn’t new, but Russia’s newest government approval will let the country rake in some ad spend without completely screwing up the night sky for every human with functional eyes.
Roscosmos will, according to a newly signed amendment to Russia’s laws, be able to display advertising on the country’s spacecraft. The plan, as far as is known, could make the country’s Soyuz rockets look like an American Nascar, but at least that won’t blight the night skies with blinking LEDs that zip around out of gunfire range.
In Soviet Russia, the abyss stares back?
“According to the amendments, Roscosmos has been granted the right, effective January 1, 2026, to place advertising on space objects owned by both the State Corporation itself and federally,” Roscosmos said. “The amendments will create a mechanism for attracting private investment in Russian space exploration and reduce the burden on the state budget.”
There are a few terms and conditions, spacecraft safety chief among them. Any advertising displayed on Russian rockets must conform to safety standards in order to take the trip. Whether companies — presumably Russian, since we can’t see McDonald’s handing Vladimir Putin’s country ad spend right now — will also be permitted to cover spy satellites in branding isn’t known at this time. It would be hilarious, though.
It wouldn’t be the first time Russia has launched an ad-supported rocket. Pizza Hut reportedly paid $1 million in 2000 to place its branding on one of the country’s Proton rockets.
Seriously, though. The first company that launches space advertising visible from the ground will be burned to the ground immediately. So will any others who thought we were kidding the first time around.
