A Canadian startup, Geometric Energy Corporation (GEC), plans to launch a satellite for broadcasting advertisements in space. Amid online backlash, let's examine the facts: Can these ads be seen from backyards? Will they disrupt astronomy?
GEC has engineered a CubeSat—a compact, 10cm cube-shaped minisatellite—with a pixelated screen on one side. In a Business Insider interview, co-founder Samuel Reid explained that advertisers buy tokens to claim, position, and design individual pixels.
Five token types are available, including ones for X and Y coordinates.
Token prices are undisclosed, but GEC will accept only cryptocurrencies. Reid notes this approach "democratizes access to space and enables decentralized participation."
In orbit, a mini selfie stick will capture the display and stream it live on YouTube or Twitch. Importantly, there will be no massive ads visible in the night sky.
Beyond brands, Reid envisions artistic or personal uses, like marriage proposals. "Companies might display logos, or it could be personal and artistic," he says. "I hope people avoid anything inappropriate."
Lightweight CubeSats often launch as secondary payloads. GEC's will hitch a ride on a SpaceX Falcon 9 mission next year.
