Description

SETTING: [Space] The astronaut takes a 3D printer including printing material to the ISS. [Earth] On earth, there should be a crowdsourcing platform ready that collects CAD models from users, designers and space enthusiasts. PURPOSE: There is a weekly challenge for the best gift or tool that the astronauts in the ISS might enjoy or use in their daily work in space. Users submit their ideas including CAD models (on how to 3D print the gift in space). Then, there is a voting mechanism regarding which gift should be sent to the ISS. All users can vote for the best idea of the week. Then, there is a lottery choosing one idea out of the best 20 ideas (so noone knows exactly which idea is sent to space). Then, the winning idea's CAD file is sent to the 3D printer in space and it starts printing. The astronauts don't know either what they are getting and are thus curious. The printing process, the astronauts reactions towards the gifts and some feedback after using it are part of a sponsored live stream. HOW TO MAKE MONEY: As the Astronautin takes the 3D printer with her and leaves it on the ISS, the potential of this marketing stunt is more longitudinal than 10 days. But, how to make money? First, the 3D printer could be sponsored including the material by one of the big companies that offer 3D printers. Also putting other brands on the 3D printer might raise attention on their brands. Second, there could easily be a live stream of the printing process and occasionally observing astronauts. Marketing ads could be placed in there as an additional approach to get more money. Also there can be potential technology partners that pay to be the partner for "data connection" or the partner for "security technology". WHY IT COULD WORK? (A) The Nasa is a friend of crowdsourcing - There is the NASA Tournament Lab for instance. As a second supporting factor, the NASA budget for maintenance on the ISS is above 1 billion dollar, anually. They might also love that people all around the world could ideate something that help the astronauts in space. Why not 3D printing a tool that increases their efficiency in maintenance and the NASA safes 10million euros with one 3D printed gift? (B) Companies are excited about space. And when they even can exploit it for their marketing and branding activities. Perfect. There are trends that came up in the youtube era like unboxing videos with 10 millions of views. And by applying this idea in space, astronauts would unbox gifts / tools from people in the world and would discuss on its functionality, value for their everyday life. Nothing could be more sexy for marketing people. This could totally be next level. (C) You might say that the data connection for live streaming is not too good? Just ask a telecommunications company for sponsoring the data connection (Vodafone e.g. sends a moon station with LTE to the moon - also a marketing stunt to highlight the power of data connection and the pioneering position of Vodafone). They would love to do it and pay for it. (D) Problems like Digital Rights Management would arise as the data is sent via a signal to the ISS. Security firms would love to be the partner for the encoding and decoding technology of the files. So really noone can know in advance which gift will be printed. And they can demonstrate the power of their technology.