Colibrí Mission: How To Boost The Mexican Space Industry By Involving The General Public Into The Development Of A Space Program

Colibrí Mission is one of the first space missions developed by undergraduate students in Mexico, which is designing and building a nanosatellite dedicated to scientific research on Earth’s Lower Atmosphere. In a country with a nascent space industry, it is important not only to manage and attract talented individuals capable of conducting scientific and technical research, but also to serve key audiences that can contribute to the Mission’s fundraising objectives and promote scientific and technological knowledge among Mexican society, in particular its youth. With limited access to government space funding, these outreach programs sustain important sponsor-seeking efforts to bring the Mission to life. Colibrí Mission seeks to make significant contributions to the development of the space industry in Mexico. This paper presents an example of the implementation of transmedia in a space program’s communication strategy. The two main objectives -public outreach and fundraising- were achieved by generating brand awareness and managing key specific stakeholders. Adapting a public relations model and utilizing the methodology proposed by Colin Eden and Fran Ackermann (2010) to map stakeholders, Colibrí Mission’s strategy seeks to influence key stakeholders to better suit the Mission's needs and transmit the experience of what it means to belong to a Mexican space mission. The implementation of the transmedia strategy resulted in: influencing key stakeholders by increasing their interest to help the team as two context setters moved to key player positions; gaining sponsors and allies that previously did not exist; and an increase in public outreach, brand recognition and followers on social media platforms.