10/29/2010 01:27:00 PM
We often tell the Google Lunar X PRIZE teams that being visible -- particularly online -- is extremely important. Sharing the individual stories of teams and their missions is important from the standpoint of inspiration, engagement, and education, but it can also lead to a number of lucrative opportunities for the teams as well. The Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander X Challenge participants are Exhibit A for this; for example, Masten Space Systems will tell you that one of their investors discovered them through their blog.
I was at a restaurant having dinner with a friend last night while the baseball World Series played on some TVs in the background. I was mid-conversation when I caught something out of the corner of my eye on the TV. Was it...? Yes! A rocket! (I know, it's a gift). And there on the television, in a World Series commercial slot, was Armadillo Aerospace. Here is the commercial, in case you haven't seen it:
Apparently this commercial has been out for a couple of weeks... not sure how I missed that news. Regardless, this is the type of mainstream coverage for space -- especially commercial space! -- that many of us fantasize about. Oh, and not to mention that this commercial is advertising sharing rocket photos/updates/videos via mobile phone, which is awesome. We certainly look forward much more of this type of media attention for space as the GLXP teams visit the Moon...
