In 1993, a Gerogia-based company, Space Marketing Inc., announced plans to launch square mile size billboards made from mylar sheets into low orbit. Logos about the size of the moon would have been visible to millions of people on earth. Strong public opposition caused them to withdraw their plan.

At that time, Congressman Ed Markey (D-MA) introduced a bill banning advertising in space. A bill in the 106th Congress (S. 342) contained a modified version of Markey's bill, prohibiting only "obtrusive" advertising in space. These leaves the option open for NASA to raise funds in the future by placing logos on rockets and astronauts' uniforms. The Russian space program has already launched a rocket bearing a 30-foot Pizza Hut logo.

S.342

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 2000, 2001, and 2002 (Introduced in the Senate)

SEC. 310. SPACE ADVERTISING.

(a) DEFINITION- Section 70102 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--

(1) by redesignating paragraphs (8) through (12) as paragraphs (9) through (13), respectively; and

(2) by inserting after paragraph (7) the following:

"(8) obtrusive space advertising' means advertising in outer space that is capable of being recognized by a human being on the surface of the Earth without the aid of a telescope or other technological device.'.

(b) PROHIBITION - Chapter 701 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 70109 the following new section:

70109a. Space advertising

(a) LICENSING- Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter or any other provision of law, the Secretary may not, for the launch of a payload containing any material to be used for the purposes of obtrusive space advertising --

(1) issue or transfer a license under this chapter; or

(2) waive the license requirements of this chapter.

(b) LAUNCHING- No holder of a license under this chapter may launch a payload containing any material to be used for purposes of obtrusive space advertising on or after the date of enactment of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000.

(c) COMMERCIAL SPACE ADVERTISING - Nothing in this section shall apply to nonobtrusive commercial space advertising , including advertising on--

(1) commercial space transportation vehicles;

(2) space infrastructure, payloads;

(3) space launch facilities; and

(4) launch support facilities..

(c) NEGOTIATION WITH FOREIGN LAUNCHING NATIONS-

(1) The President is requested to negotiate with foreign launching nations for the purpose of reaching 1 or more agreements that prohibit the use of outer space for obtrusive spaceadvertising purposes.

(2) It is the sense of Congress that the President should take such action as is appropriate and feasible to enforce the terms of any agreement to prohibit the use of outer space for obtrusive space advertising purposes.

(3) As used in this subsection, the term `foreign launching nation' means a nation--

(A) that launches, or procures the launching of, a payload into outer space ; or

(B) from the territory or facility of which a payload is launched into outer space .

(d) CLERICAL AMENDMENT- The table of sections for chapter 701 is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 70109 the following:

70109a. space advertising.