In the New York Times on Sunday May 9th in the week in review section there was a report of a group called "Space Marketing" in Atlanta, Georgia who is planning to put up a one mile wide reflective Earth orbiting satelite which will appear as large and as bright as the Moon and carry some sort of advertising. There was an editorial about this in the Times the following Tuesday.  Are others as upset about this as I am?  I feel that a global boycott of anyone involved with such a project would be a good idea.  Perhaps it could be made illegal in various countries around the world?  Do others agree?  -david  [Relevant messages found on the net:] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ From: webb@tsavo.hks.com (Peter Webb) Newsgroups: sci.space Subject: Stopping the sky-vandals Date: 13 May 1993 21:17:22 GMT Organization: HKS, Inc. Distribution: world    If you don't want to see Space Marketing put up orbiting billboards, write them, or call them, and tell them so.  You might also write your congresspeople.  Space Marketing can be reached at:  Attn: Mike Lawson Public Relations Dept. Space Marketing 1495 Atmbree Rd., Suite 600 Rosewell, GA 30076 (404)-442-9682  -- Peter Webb 					webb@hks.com Hibbitt, Karlsson & Sorensen, Inc.		Voice: 401-727-4200 1080 Main St, Pawtucket RI 02860		FAX: 401-727-4208   [Alternatively, you could try to find out who their clients  will be and tell *them* how you feel.] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Newsgroups: sci.astro,sci.space,sci.misc,sci.environment,talk.environment From: klaes@verga.enet.dec.com (Larry Klaes) Subject: Light Pollution (Space Ads) Information Keywords: light pollution, advertisements Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation Date: Thu, 13 May 1993 20:45:36 GMT          Dave Crawford (crawford@noao.edu), Executive Director of the      International Dark-Sky Association (IDA), sent me information on where      you can write in regards to the proposed "Billboards in the Sky" and     asked me to post it:          Karen Brown         Center for the Study of Commercialism         1875 Connecticut Avenue, Suite 300         Washington, D.C. 20009-5728         U.S.A.          Telephone:  202-797-7080         Fax:        202-265-4954          Please note that I have no involvement whatsoever with the CSC.          Larry Klaes  klaes@verga.enet.dec.com 		     or - ...!decwrl!verga.enet.dec.com!klaes     		     or - klaes%verga.dec@decwrl.enet.dec.com                      or - klaes%verga.enet.dec.com@uunet.uu.net               "All the Universe, or nothing!" - H. G. Wells          EJASA Editor, Astronomical Society of the Atlantic ------------------------------------------------------------------------ From: kjenks@gothamcity.jsc.nasa.gov Newsgroups: sci.space Subject: Re: Vandalizing the Sky Date: 10 May 93 21:51:11 GMT Distribution: sci Organization: NASA/JSC/GM2, Space Shuttle Program Office X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL8] X-Posted-From: algol.jsc.nasa.gov  F.Baube[tm] (flb@flb.optiplan.fi) wrote: [...] : That's roughly akin to saying let's let Anaconda strip-mine  : the Grand Canyon so that strip-mining can boldly go where no  : strip mining technology has gone before .. because after all,  : mining means profits, and profits mean technological advance- : ment, and technogical advancement means prosperity, and pros- : perity means happiness, and so to hell with the Grand Canyon ..  Space advertisement in LOW Earth Orbit is very short term -- on the order of a few years before the orbit decays.  (Higher orbits last longer.)  Advertisers will certainly be aware of the environmental aspects of their advertising.  Fred's argument is roughly akin to saying that it's bad to cut down trees, so we shouldn't advertise in newspapers.  Think that through, Fred.  Picture this: Our space billboard is a LARGE inflatable structure, filled with "bio-degradable" foam instead of gas.  It scoops up space debris as it orbits, thus CLEANING the space environment and bringing you The Pause That Refreshes at the same time.  Because of the large drag coefficient, it will de-orbit -- safely burning up -- within a year.  Embedded in the foam structure is a small re-entry vehicle, which does not burn up during entry.  It contains the electronics and propulsion system (which may be refurbished and re-used) as well as space science experiments proposed and built by high school students in advertiser-sponsored science fairs.  Advertisers buy time on the billboard, whose surface is made up of tiny mirrors controlled by the avionics package.  The avionics can reconfigure the mirrors to reflect different messages at different parts of the globe.  Clever programming allows different languages to every country.  During orbital night, the mirrors turn perpendicular to the surface, and small lights are revealed.  The lights spell out messages for all to see.  -- Ken Jenks, NASA/JSC/GM2, Space Shuttle Program Office       kjenks@gothamcity.jsc.nasa.gov  (713) 483-4368