4 ms·

Graffiti on the sky. Ironically, to serve as a "reminder to all on Earth about our fragile place in the universe."

IntronExon 9y ago
Or to remember the guy who funded it. This whole thing reminds me of Bender’s massive statue blowing flames and intoning, “Remember Me!!!” We already share the Sun and Moon, and Iridium network if it comes to that.
- pavel_lishin 9y ago
  It's only up for nine months.
  - IntronExon 9y ago
    That sort of shoots my cynicism full of holes, huh? Oh well.
  - greglindahl 9y ago
    It's not the first light pollution art project in orbit, and won't be the last.
leoc 9y ago
It's more like elevator music. I'd compare it to fitting the Grand Canyon with a vast network of PA speakers that plays Kenny G every evening at dusk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvylHVHB5Vo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvylHVHB5Vo . (I suppose it's also not altogether unlike carving presidents into the side of Mount Rushmore.) More confirmation that we're living in a Douglas Adams/William Gibson collaboration. #ourdouglasadamspresent
mortenjorck 9y ago
It reminds me a bit of the commemorative orbital plaque in Planetes that Debris Section has to perform a controlled atmospheric reentry on. The newcomer to the team is distraught that they have to destroy a monument to peace, but when she finally has a chance to read it moments before burn, she realizes that even it was only ever a piece of propaganda.
JoeDaDude 9y ago
This is a colossal advertising stunt masquerading as a humanitarian gesture. Remember when everyone got upset at the possibility of an orbiting Pepsi logo? [1] https://books.google.com/books?id=1G5UzG2Z6A4C&pg=PA99&lpg=PA99&dq=pepsi+logo+in+orbit&source=bl&ots=hRhysORxHi&sig=od_g0s1WNc0rFipV7tu3v6ewZxM&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjMhv-pm_TYAhUHxoMKHXiGDYAQ6AEIYjAM#v=onepage&q=pepsi%20logo%20in%20orbit&f=false https://books.google.com/books?id=1G5UzG2Z6A4C&pg=PA99&lpg=P... [2] http://www.unoosa.org/pdf/reports/ac105/AC105_777E.pdf http://www.unoosa.org/pdf/reports/ac105/AC105_777E.pdf
- ttonkytonk 9y ago
  It's only a matter of time -or- Please shoot me when it happens

Or to remember the guy who funded it. This whole thing reminds me of Bender’s massive statue blowing flames and intoning, “Remember Me!!!” We already share the Sun and Moon, and Iridium network if it comes to that.

pavel_lishin 9y ago
It's only up for nine months.
- IntronExon 9y ago
  That sort of shoots my cynicism full of holes, huh? Oh well.
- greglindahl 9y ago
  It's not the first light pollution art project in orbit, and won't be the last.

leoc 9y ago

It's more like elevator music. I'd compare it to fitting the Grand Canyon with a vast network of PA speakers that plays Kenny G every evening at dusk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvylHVHB5Vo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvylHVHB5Vo . (I suppose it's also not altogether unlike carving presidents into the side of Mount Rushmore.) More confirmation that we're living in a Douglas Adams/William Gibson collaboration. #ourdouglasadamspresent

mortenjorck 9y ago

It reminds me a bit of the commemorative orbital plaque in Planetes that Debris Section has to perform a controlled atmospheric reentry on. The newcomer to the team is distraught that they have to destroy a monument to peace, but when she finally has a chance to read it moments before burn, she realizes that even it was only ever a piece of propaganda.

JoeDaDude 9y ago

This is a colossal advertising stunt masquerading as a humanitarian gesture. Remember when everyone got upset at the possibility of an orbiting Pepsi logo? [1] https://books.google.com/books?id=1G5UzG2Z6A4C&pg=PA99&lpg=PA99&dq=pepsi+logo+in+orbit&source=bl&ots=hRhysORxHi&sig=od_g0s1WNc0rFipV7tu3v6ewZxM&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjMhv-pm_TYAhUHxoMKHXiGDYAQ6AEIYjAM#v=onepage&q=pepsi%20logo%20in%20orbit&f=false https://books.google.com/books?id=1G5UzG2Z6A4C&pg=PA99&lpg=P... [2] http://www.unoosa.org/pdf/reports/ac105/AC105_777E.pdf http://www.unoosa.org/pdf/reports/ac105/AC105_777E.pdf

ttonkytonk 9y ago
It's only a matter of time -or- Please shoot me when it happens