Tipped to exceed $1 trillion in value by 2040, the space industry is beginning to eye future talent pools to support its growth over the coming decades. 

Building on the universal recognition commanded by SpaceX and NASA, space brands are starting to explore ways to step into the public spotlight, connect with wider audiences and ultimately cultivate their own fan bases.

This has led to a recent surge in offline experiences that engage public audiences through brand storytelling.

Some of the most compelling examples of this phenomenon are being launched in a variety of public environments from the Science Museum in London to one of Europe’s busiest shopping streets and in high-end retail stores across the world.

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European Space Agency | A limited edition concept store and events space

In a category dominated by e-commerce, merchandise shops for space brands are almost exclusively found online. However, the European Space Agency’s ‘Space Shop‘ has reimagined its online retail platform as a temporary brick-and-mortar concept store in the heart of Rome.

Located on one of Europe’s busiest shopping streets, the store also features displays and artefacts that tell the story of ESA’s historic missions. It also serves as a venue for the public to meet ESA astronauts and artists who contributed to the store’s merchandise collections.

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ArianeGroup x Devialet | An immersive audiovisual experience

When creating meaningful brand experiences, selecting the right partner brand can make all the difference.

ArianeGroup’s collaboration with audio tech brand Devialet replicates the experience of witnessing an Ariane 5 launch from the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou.

Created around the brands’ shared passion for ‘radical innovation’, visitors are invited into a soundproofed booth where eight Devialet Phantom speakers authentically reproduce the sound of the launch accompanied by animated visuals for heightened intensity. Available around the world at selected Devialet stores, the experience showcases the brand’s audio products while making the visceral experience of a rocket launch accessible to the public.

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UK Space Agency X Virgin Orbit | An outdoor educational exhibition

Virgin Orbit often integrate their team members into their offline campaigns, offering the public a new dimension of approachability.

During an educational exhibition hosted by the UK Space Agency and Virgin Orbit celebrating the countdown to the first launch by Virgin Orbit from UK soil, visitors were invited to meet the pilot of the Boeing 747 carrier aircraft that will conduct the launch itself.

The exhibition took place outside London’s Science Museum and featured a scale replica of Virgin Orbit’s iconic LauncherOne rocket as well as a series of family-oriented interactive activities.

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The flexible and temporary nature of these experiences means that they can be adapted to a range of different environments to great effect. 

Virgin Orbit are a good example of this, their LauncherOne replica has appeared as the centrepiece of various activations in environments including Times Square and Spaceport Cornwall. 

ESA’s space shop regularly appears at expos and industry events and it has been hinted that their concept store could make another appearance soon. But while a possible tour of European member states could be a valuable exercise in public engagement for ESA, logistical costs can put such campaigns beyond the reach of space brands on a budget. 

ArianeGroup’s partnership with Devialet offers an effective solution to such challenges, leveraging Devialet’s extensive global network of retail stores to distribute their experience to a high volume of consumers simultaneously.

Looking ahead, the space industry has no shortage of unique, engaging stories to share and if the diversity of these initial forays into building brand awareness are anything to go by, we can look forward to plenty more compelling offline experiences in 2023.