Future NASA funding (joke)

[jetra2]

A couple of days ago I ran across a thread somewhere, I don't know if it was here on TRF or on RMR, but someone mentioned something about NASA's future funding, and how it would be funny if someone sponsored NASA. Then somebody replied with the comment, " And now the Nike Mars Lander is opening it's Pepsi parachute, and the Nike Mars Lander has now landed at Coca-Cola base on the surface of Mars!"

It went something like that...

Anyways, I found a picture related to that joke that ya'll might find funny - or not. If not, just say so...and I'll delete the thread, k?

Thanks,
Jason

 

[illini]

Actually, didn't NASA try this a few years ago? I seem to remember that they were selling advertising on expendable boosters. I may be going senile, but I recall that the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie "Collateral Damage" advertised on the side of a Delta II. Anyone else remember this? Seems too crazy to be true.

 

[rstaff3]

Now that you mention it, I seem to remember seeing that too, but have no references. I had seen the shuttle pic a long while back but can remember where. For some reason I think it might have been in response to an ad of a real rocket. But then I may be totally wrong.

 

[illini]

I found some vague references to it on the net. It wasn't NASA who did this. Apparently space was sold on the side of a Conestoga rocket (Deke Slayton's old company...Space Services, Inc., wasn't it?) to advertise "Last Action Hero" in 1993, but the launch was delayed so long that the movie had already come and gone so the deal fell through.

 

[sandman]

to advertise "Last Action Hero" in 1993,

LOL! That would not have helped that movie!

What a dog!

sandman

 

[rabidsheeep]

didn't the germans do somehting like that with pizza hut cept they painted it on the wrong side so noone saw the logo?

 

[Neil]

HEHE. Thats pretty good... Ads on the shuttle.... Crazy idea, but sure makes a funny picture! Why dont they have a big "Congress" sign or something, arnt THEY the ones who are supposed to be funding NASA?....

 

[illini]

Originally posted by Neil
Why dont they have a big "Congress" sign or something, arnt THEY the ones who are supposed to be funding NASA?....

NASA's already done the equivalent of that. In the '80's they flew Senator Jake Garn and Congressman Bill Nelson (if I'm remembering right).

 

[Neil]

LOL! On the outside or the inside of the rocket???? Thats pretty funny.... How did they pick who went?

 

[illini]

As I recall, both were on science related committes that would have been responsible for their funding. I think Jake Garn was a former fighter pilot. Bill Nelson was from Florida, but can't remember if Kennedy Space Center was in his district.

In the '80's before Challenger, NASA was pretty aggressive in using the Shuttle to score political points and trying to convince everyone how routine space travel was. They flew a Saudi prince (amongst others) and had plans to put a journalist in space, supposedly hoping that he would wax poetic about the space program. Don't forget that Christa McAuliffe, who died on Challenger, was the "winner" of the teacher-in-space contest.