If there is water on the moon, Otsuka – the company behind Japanese sports drink Pocari Sweat, hopes that future space travelers will make use of its “Lunar Dream Capsule.”
A small aluminum can will deliver Pocari Sweat powdered drink mix and messages from children to the moon’s cratered surface (see below image).
“There is water on the moon.” – This project was initiated by the discovery that may signal the arrival of the era for the human race to occupy the moon as a living environment. “Until now, the space travel was only possible at a national project level. Now, we want to realize it privately and get to the moon.” To bring this dream closer to reality, Pocari Sweat will challenge the approximately 380,000km journey to the surface of the moon together with private corporations possessing world’s leading technologies. LUNAR DREAM CAPSULE, a time capsule that will be delivered to the moon, contains dreams of children from around the world along with POCARI SWEAT (powder) as a symbol of our precious water, delivering the message that “dream is always close to our hands.”
The company explains that human beings always need fluids and ions (electrolyte). As a drink to quickly replenish fluid and ions (electrolyte) lost in perspiration, Pocari Sweat has been supporting people since its launch in 1980. Otsuka hopes that one day youths interested in space will live out their dreams, collect the DREAM CAPSULE, and drink the POCARI SWEAT mixed with the water found on the moon.
Mission: Delivering all children’s dreams 380,000KM to the moon
A few statistics:
1/The first private moon-landing project has started. In the world’s beverage history, a time capsule will be delivered to the moon, containing dreams of children, along with Pocari Sweat as a symbol of our precious water, delivering the message that “dream is always close to our hands.”
2/With hopes that children interested in space and the moon will one day challenge landing on the moon, a tour to primary schools in and out of Japan will be done to gather dreams of children from around the world.
3/A smartphone app to enable virtual messaging to the moon is also launched.
In partnership with Singapore-based startup Astroscale and others, the capsule is slated to launch in October 2015. If successful, it will mark the first ever moon landing by the private sector.
ABOUT DREAM CAPSULE
The DREAM CAPSULE to be delivered to the moon is made out of titanium, shaped like a POCARI SWEAT can, and weighs 1,000g. To continuously endure the harsh environment of the moon where the temperature shifts from minus 170℃ at night to 110℃ during the day, the capsule was developed specifically for this project. The messages to be put inside the capsule are dreams of children gathered from visits to primary schools in and out of Japan. Messages are also accepted via the project website: http://lunar-dream.com/en/
The gathered handwritten messages will be stored as data in 120 titanium plates to be packaged in the DREAM CAPSULE. Using the DREAM RING as a key, the DREAM CAPSULE can easily be unlocked. Copies of the DREAM RING will be handed to children upon message gathering. 10 of the original DREAM RINGs will be stored within the corporations of LUNAR DREAM Executive Committee.
ABOUT LUNAR DREAM MESSENGER
Messages wished to be delivered to the moon can be posted via the LUNAR DREAM MESSENGER (hereinafter DREAM MESSENGER) within the project website: http://lunar-dream.com/en/). When accessed from a smartphone, a message entered to the DREAM MESSENGER can be sent by aiming a smart phone towards it only during a moonlit night.
THE LUNAR DREAM CAPSULE PROJECT:
The website: http://lunar-dream.com/en/ also provides the project overview, team introduction, and additional contents about the moon. The website provides information such as the “history behind the discovery of moon water” and the “history of moon exploration” as well as the upcoming year’s astronomical events for enjoyment for everyone.
Messages for the plates will be collected during visits to elementary schools in Japan and across Asia, in addition to through the company’s website up until May 2015.
ABOUT POCARI SWEAT
POCARI SWEAT was developed in 1980 as “health drink consumed in situations when people perspire” to quickly replenish fluid and ions (electrolyte) lost in perspiration. POCARI SWEAT is currently available in 17 countries and regions around the world2. As a drink to support people on actions, Pocari Sweat has always maintained its challenges.
POCARI SWEAT began active involvement in the space industry early, shooting the first “Space TV commercial” in the International Space Station in 2001, attracting the public attention as a groundbreaking initiative. When the LUNAR PROJECT succeeds, POCARI SWEAT becomes the first ever beverage to arrive at the surface of the moon. “Move forward with dreams: Pocari Sweat will always support your dreams as a beverage close to you.”
Countries and regions where Pocari Sweat is retailed: Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, United Arab Emirates, South Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, China, Kuwait, Qatar, Philippines, Egypt, and Vietnam
Check the official website: http://lunar-dream.com/en/
Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88q3ZoYUKEg
(also featured at the top)
Source: Businesswire, Pocari Sweat, Otsuka
