NASA Considers Letting Corporations Put Brand Names On Rockets

During the second public meeting of the NASA Advisory Council (NAC), NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine presented the topic of rocket naming rights and similar options for corporations. Under such an idea, assuming it is ever implemented, private companies may have the opportunity to slap their logo on a rocket, associate their brands with space missions, and even offer products with astronaut endorsements.

The idea was presented by Bridenstine to the NAC, according to Parabolic Arc. It is merely an idea at this point, one that may never proceed past simple talks. In explaining the idea behind selling naming rights, Bridenstine said the link between NASA and private companies could then "embed" the space agency in their marketing campaigns.

Bridenstine said, in part:

We can embed NASA into the culture and fabric of American society and inspire generations of folks that will create those next capabilities to keep America preeminent not only in space, but in science and technology and discovery and exploration.

In addition to embedding NASA into consumer marketing campaigns, there's an obvious financial interest behind the concept: money made from selling the rights could potentially help fund the space agency's projects and help it achieve large goals, at least from a financial standpoint.

However, for any of this to proceed, existing regulations and rules would have to change, including ones that restrict astronauts' when it comes to commercial projects on the International Space Station, as well as ones preventing them from seeking product endorsements. A new committee will be formed to explore this idea.

SOURCE: Parabolic Arc