Big billboards in the sky?

Question

I read an article about a company in Japan (I think Sony) discussing a possible future plan of their space program launching a giant sheet of semi reflective celofane into a geo-stationary orbit over Japan so they could shine ads, etc.. on it with a laser at night. The US govt responded negatively to this saying it would block the view of the night sky, look trashy and amount to no less than high tech spam. They also passed a law where this would be illegal in the US. Two questions: Does anyone know where I can find this news article again? And what is your opinion of this? Spam or Cool High Tech Way To Dress up the Sky on a Cloudless Night?

Answer 1

It's bad enough that most kids today never get to see the beauty of the night sky as seen from a truly dark location. But to want to place extra lights in space?!?!?! It's a terrible idea. Unfortunately it will probably happen eventually, if our society remains as commercially and materially focused as it is today.

Answer 2

I dare someone to tell me commercialism won't be the catalyst for the end of the world now... That's absurd, by the way I don't know where you can find that article but I had to answer the opinion thing, call it impulse! Can you imagine that one? Some kid and his grampa are outside with a telescope, and the kid says

"looky grampa I can see Beetlejuice!" And Grampa takes a look through the telescope and says, "I'm sorry little Billy, that's just the battery light for the planetarium's billboard... It's just completing it's thirteenth orbit around the earth" That's just what I need to walk outside and see Shitpiece Spears begging to me to please buy her latest pop album before K-Fed bleeds her dry! I can look towards the Heavens and see Hell! YAY! That's gonna be some complication for NASA.... Chips Ahoy! loses stock because a returning probe from Jupiter wasn't anticipating a giant neon cookie to be in it's way... What the hell is wrong with you people? And yes I know that I spelled Betelgeuse wrong the first time around, but I was anticipating the day that I can look up on a clear night and see if the video store still has the movie in stock!

Answer 3

I think it would be a good idea as far as marketing goes, cuase if you expect people to be flying in their fying cars in a few years or so,that would sound like the best way to advertise to them.



And I pray the U.S. doesnt encur the wrath of Japan by saying those insults.