Advertising from Space: A Real Danger?

Abstract

This paper recommends we keep a close eye on what is going on around our planet as all improvements brought on ground in terms of light pollution could be quickly ruined by undesired luminous objects put in Earth orbit. A ``pessimistic{''} approach would have it that, in the current global market context, if a company realizes that the technology is at hand and that the corresponding RoI is appealing, we could have advertising from space rather quickly. The ``optimistic view{''} would moderate this by saying that things are not so simple even if it would be difficult to counter some preliminaries such as luminaries put in Earth orbit for humanitarian purposes. Beyond developing ties with other scientific disciplines concerned with environmental impact and disruption of circadian cycles in living beings, appropriate strategies would be to secure public support by ad hoc information and education. Astronomy is in need of a ``cosmic Cousteau{''}.