JAXA, the Japanese equivalent of NASA, has announced a program where products can, in return for an incredibly generous 0.1% of sales, brand themselves as JAXA “Cosmode” products. Via Gizmodo.jp and Asahi. No comment yet from the cosplay magazine whose name they’ve appropriated - I’m sure they’ll be fine. The products being held out as shining exemplars of this scheme are such charismatic items as water purifiers and heat insulating paint. Sure to drive consumers into a buying frenzy.
However, since it is basically just a logo with a commit clause to donating some proceeds to JAXA’s PR arm, any product should be able to participate - expect to see some tangentially connected items in stores soon, depending on whether consumers fancy donating to a tax funded government agency.
If I were to offer a opinion on this, this has all the hallmarks of an entrenched bureaucracy undertaking a half hearted attempt to commercialise their technology. How about putting the contracts for space development out to competitive tender instead?
