That ambiguity is due to the fact that no one is sure whether or not Tang actually made it to the moon. While it was certainly in space with astronauts on a number of missions, it remains unknown whether or not it made it into the lunar lander modules.
What the hell is a Pocari?
Either way, Otsuka and its strangely named “Pocari Sweat” powder is hoping to become the first commercial product on the moon for marketing purposes. While Samsung announced today that it would be renaming and branding Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 5, the Japanese company is one-upping them with the planned trip to the surface of the moon.
We’re not sure what a Pocari is but apparently it’s sweat has a citrus taste. The trip is planned in October 2015, and in addition to about a kilogram of the company’s Pocari Sweat powder the titanium capsule will contain children’s dreams. No the company is not stealing the aspirations of kids all over Asia but rather it is inscribing the wishes of children from letters sent to the company on a series of silver disks.
The participants and the Google Lunar X project
In order to fulfill its (inter) stellar marketing ploy the company will the assistance of a few others. First is Elon Musk’s SpaceX. The capsule that will end up on the moon will begin its trip on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. The potentially reusable space travel device has already made three successful supply runs to the International Space Station. This time, however, it will be called on to propel itself all the way to the moon, or nearly all the way. Following the ignition of its second-stage boosters the Falcon 9 will need four-and-a-half days to reach the moon.
Once the Falcon 9 has done its job, the task of depositing the canister on the moon will fall to Astrobotic Technology’s “Griffin” lander. Astrobotic has its own reasons for making the trip. The company is looking to claim the $20 million prize by winning Google’s Lunar X project. In order to do so the company will need a device on that can travel 500 meters on the surface and transmit hi-def pictures back to Earth. With the money from Otsuka, the company now has the funding it needs to go after the big prize.
While this is a strange marketing idea, it’s even stranger given the fact that Astorbotic Technology is a company that builds technology to REMOVE space trash.
Godspeed and best of luck to all involved.
