Melania Trump’s New Line Of Apollo 11 NFTs Allegedly Breach NASA Guidelines
Last year, NASA clarified that while it often makes imagery of its space shuttles and the solar system available to the public, its merchandising guidelines ban the incorporation of any of its photographs into non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
Despite this, it seems Melania Trump’s latest venture may have contravened the aforementioned rules, considering it features a famed picture of astronaut Buzz Aldrin taking his first steps on the moon.
The collection, which launched earlier this week, was released just in time to commemorate the 54th anniversary of the seminal space mission. Dubbed Man on the Moon, the virtual asset is priced at US$75 each, including an embedded audio file that can be “unlocked” upon purchase.
If the image shown looks familiar, that may be because it’s one of the most iconic images NASA has publicized from man’s first trip to the moon on July 20, 1969. In fact, the photograph was captured by mission commander Neil Armstrong, who famously accompanied Aldrin on the trip.
Video via USA Memorabilia
It’s uncertain if Trump will be made to remove the token altogether, but the space agency’s Regulations for Merchandising Requests state plainly that it isn’t open to any applications involving NFTs.
“NASA is not approving any merchandising applications involving Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), as they are not consistent with the categories of products the Agency is approved to merchandise,” the organization’s regulations state.
In addition, NASA doubles down on this position in its Media Usage Guidelines, in which it reminds the public that the agency “does not wish for its images to be used for these purposes,” leaving little room for misinterpretation.
While the fate of Trump’s latest launch hangs in the balance, this isn’t the first time she’s ventured into the realm of digital tokens. Months ago, the former First Lady released a Christmas-themed NFT collection of ornaments.
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[via Gizmodo and Artnet News, cover image via USA Memorabilia]
