Cosmonaut Ovchinin said that the Soyuz did not carry critical cargo for the ISS crew. Pizza, whiskey and soda in orbit: how the space industry made money from advertising Money is not superfluous

On Tuesday, August 25, the Konotori spacecraft delivered provisions for astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Besides food and water, it included several bags of Japanese Santory whiskey. The drink will stay in orbit for a whole year, but it is not intended to be consumed by astronauts. Whiskey producers are confident that prolonged exposure to weightlessness will make the taste of the drink more intense. Well, the brand is more recognizable. However, the owners of Santory do not disclose how much such an advertising campaign will cost.

Omega can rightfully be considered a pioneer in the field of space advertising. Swiss watches not only went to space, but together with Neil Armstrong they made “ small step for man and a huge step for humanity" in 1969. The Speedmaster chronograph did not stop there: in 1993, 25 pairs of the same watches were delivered to the Mir orbital station to see how they would behave in space for a long time. The result is that the lack of gravity does not affect Swiss accuracy. The price of the contract still remains a mystery.

Pepsi went much further. In 1996, Russian cosmonauts brought a one-and-a-half meter mock-up of a bottle with a drink into orbit, which was eventually released into outer space. The space adventures of Pepsi did not end there: the crew of the Mir station signed their autographs on the business cards of top managers and brought several dozen bottles to Earth, which were then sold at auction. To implement the flights, Pepsi had to shell out $600,000.

Such actions of Pepsi displeased the US government. After all, back in 1992, Congressman Ed Markey, in collaboration with NASA, developed a law prohibiting American astronauts from participating in advertising campaigns.

First real commercial, filmed in space, boasts Israeli dairy company TNUVA. To draw attention to the brand, on August 20, 1997, a video with the eloquent title “Milk in Space” appeared on Israeli television. The then commander of the Mir orbital station, cosmonaut Vasily Tsiblev, being in a state of weightlessness, flew up to a carton of milk and tried the drink. The result was not long in coming: the advertisement was shown by almost all the world's media, and the milk became a bestseller.

To realize its space ambitions, TNUVA attracted advertising agency Gitam/BBDO, and the final budget for the 1.5-minute video was $450,000. These funds were transferred to the accounts of the Energia Rocket and Space Corporation.

But the Canadian golf club Element 21 Golf decided not only to celebrate its discovery in space, but also to set a world record for the longest ball flight after impact. And although Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Tyurin does not have the same technique as Tiger Woods, hitting a ball in outer space is still included in the Guinness Book of Records. All financial aspects of the deal between Roscosmos and Element 21 Golf are kept secret.

Forbes has collected five more examples of how outer space has been used for successful promotion.

NASA is lobbying for legislation to allow advertising in space. Already, commercial launch vehicles have logos representing customers and rocket manufacturers. In the future, the US government promises to provide entrepreneurs with additional marketing opportunities. One form of advertising can be sponsorship educational programs on the ISS.

NASA hopes to increase funding for its programs by advertising in space. Congressman Ken Calvert, who heads the House Committee on Space and Aviation, announced the space agency's plans.

"NASA's planned budget for 2008 represents significantly less than the annual sales of candy and gum."

Space advertising can support America's cash-strapped space program. “The goal of the initiative is to raise $100 million in funding. money fund to stimulate innovation in the field of astronautics,” Mr. Calvert outlined the task.

“In no way am I suggesting stickers on a Mars probe or a flickering neon sign on the International Space Station,” a committee member said at an annual national symposium on the space industry.

According to him, Congress should consider creating a system of long-term sponsorship that can help fund technological developments. According to the congressman, the plan is to create an advertising system similar to that used by the Professional Golf Association and National Public Radio.

"How former businessman“I see that such a fund could easily raise $100 million once it is up and running,” said Ken Calvert. The congressman also emphasized that raising funds through space advertising will make it possible not to depend on the budget, during the preparation of which debates periodically arise on spending in the field of space technology.

Robert Stevens, head of the Pentagon's largest supplier, Lockheed Martin, noted in his speech at the symposium that "the United States will not be able to maintain space leadership without sustained investment." “NASA's planned 2008 budget of $17.3 billion represents significantly less than annual sales of candy and gum,” Mr. Stevens said. “We could double NASA's budget and it would only cost Americans about 32 cents a day.”

Last year, NASA funding was $500 million less than President Bush required and $1.6 billion less than the congressional budget.

Deputy Commander of the US Air Force and Pentagon spokesman for space and aviation Ronald Sega told reporters that he was “open to considering the possibility of creating a monetary fund for the development of innovative technologies.”

Already, according to Ken Calvert, commercial launch vehicles have logos representing customers and rocket manufacturers.

In the future, “the government will be able to provide space assets for commercial advertising and additional marketing opportunities,” he said.

According to the representative of Congress, one form of such advertising could be the sponsoring company financing the sending of cameras to the International Space Station for educational programs, scientific observations and other projects around the world, including with the involvement of leading universities.

After the parliament's spring recess, which ends next week, a bill to allow NASA to advertise in space will be introduced in Congress.

“We had cargo in both the service compartment and in the descent module. Instead of the third crew member, we had a cargo container. So, some of the cargo that was in the descent module was not lost, but what would most likely be lost in the service compartment but there was nothing so critical there, without which our crews could not work on board the ISS,” he said, answering the question whether the ship had cargo that is necessary for astronauts on the ISS.

Ovchinin said that the ship’s crew remains under medical supervision after the accident.

“Our health is good, I would even say excellent. In principle, we were allowed to go home. We are still under the supervision of specialists, examinations continue, but both Nick and I feel good,” he said.

The astronaut also said that [NASA astronaut Nick] Haig flew to Houston this weekend. “We are now just waiting for the end of the investigation to understand how we will move forward,” Ovchinin noted.

About the accident

The Soyuz-FG launch vehicle with the Soyuz MS-10 manned spacecraft took off on October 11 from the first launch pad of Baikonur (Gagarin Launch). On board the ship heading to the ISS were Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin (commander of the Soyuz MS-10) and NASA astronaut Nick Hague.

During the flight, the carrier crashed, after which the crew switched to ballistic descent mode, this is the first emergency incident during the launch of a manned spacecraft in 35 years. "Soyuz MS-10" after the accident of the Soyuz-FG rocket landed in the steppe of Kazakhstan. The cosmonauts spent the night under the supervision of doctors in the city of Baikonur, and on October 12 they were taken to Moscow. As the TsPK reported on Monday, Haig flew to the United States on October 13.