Well. We knew this was coming eventually. Leave it to Japan to be the first to do it.
A Japanese beverage company, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Company, recently announced that they have plans already in the works to send a capsule, which looks exactly like their Pocari Sweat brand (think sports drinks, but a little healthier) soft drink can, to the moon, and land it safely on the lunar surface.
Titanium Pocari Moon Capsule. Pocari Earth Capsule Contents May Vary. |
According to the official website (yes, there is one - very detailed with english subs for everything, because they want us to know that they're doing this), they will send a powdered form of the drink sealed inside the ca(n)psule, and let it sit there until astronauts find it to make a beverage with lunar water. Because, I guess they think future astronauts might forget to pack tang or something?
Kids can even send in messages of their dreams for the future, which they will inscribe on plates and include inside the ca(n)psule for the future lunar explorers to read. That part is cool.
My only question (besides 'how much is this PR stunt costing you, really?') is, how is this stuff going to taste XX years (decades; centuries) in the future, after sitting in metal, all of the ingredients' shelf lives ridiculously past expiration dates? I don't know about you, reader, but I wouldn't drink that.
And my first thought when I read the article from WSJ was the end scene from the movie Hancock, with the All-Heart logo on the moon.