Astronomers call for a ban on advertising in space that can be seen from Earth with the naked eye. They are alarmed that such space marketing will threaten observations. During the 245th meeting of the American Astronomical Society, the organization released a statement calling for a ban on “intrusive space advertising” that creates barriers to terrestrial astronomy.

In the United States, this type of advertising is prohibited by law. However, attempts by companies from other countries to implement similar projects are a cause for concern. John Barentine of Dark Sky Consulting, a member of the Committee for the Protection of Astronomy and the Space Environment (COMPASSE), noted that the appeal of the idea of space advertising might encourage someone to implement it.
“Commercial benefit can be a powerful incentive, even despite the obvious risks,” he said.
Attempts to introduce advertising in space
Barentine also mentioned Avant Space, a Russian company that launched a satellite in April 2024 to test technologies that could shape logos or images in space with lasers. Although details about the project are limited, the trial of this technology has been deemed a success.
In 2019, Russian company StartRocket planned to launch satellites with a special light reflecting coating to create space advertising. There was even a contract with a subsidiary of PepsiCo to promote energy drinks. Finally, PepsiCo’s U.S. headquarters declined to participate in the project.

The American Astronomical Society (AAS) has called for a global ban on intrusive space advertising through international treaties or laws. It also asked the US delegation to the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space to initiate the process.
Barentine said he hoped the U.S. would actively promote the idea of banning space advertising internationally to prevent threats to astronomy and preserve the night sky.
Earlier we reported on what man-made objects were visible from space.
According to spacenews.com