Aprilia USA Creates Video Honoring Space Shuttle Program [Video]

Aprilia released a video tribute to the NASA Space Shuttle Program a day in advance of the program’s final mission.

On July 8, 2011, Space Shuttle Atlantis lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 11:29 a.m. EDT, ushering in the end of a “30-year program of exploration, which launched great observatories, built an International Space Station, and taught us how humans can live, work and thrive in space,” says a brief description on NASA’s website of the final flight.

Now, you might wonder, “What does Aprilia have to do with the shuttle program?” Nothing. However, like any successful company with a resourceful marketing department, Aprilia saw an opportunity to capitalize on significant world events to promote one of its products.

We really like the RSV4, but the comparisons in the video between Aprilia’s RSV4 and the space shuttle are rather trite, out of place and blatantly self-serving. However, I’m giving Aprilia a Get Out of Jail Free card on this since the shuttle program footage makes the video worth watching.

I’m not really a space exploration fanatic, but had the opportunity a couple years ago  (while with Pirelli for a new tire intro) to visit Kennedy Space Center. During that visit I got as close (about 1.0 mile) as most civilians could to the shuttle as it sat on its launch pad, only days before its liftoff. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience I’ll hopefully never forget, and so seeing Aprilia’s homage to the shuttle program, I have to admit, I got a little choked up.

By Pete Brissette