Tue Feb 04 02:20:00 UTC 2025: ## Moonwalker Buzz Aldrin Plants New Flag: Verizon’s Satellite Service Takes Center Stage
**Cape Canaveral, FL** – Fifty-six years after planting the American flag on the moon, Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin is once again planting flags – this time for Verizon. In a new commercial promoting the company’s satellite-based solution for cell service dead zones, the 95-year-old Aldrin joins forces with Paul Marcarelli, the “Can you hear me now?” guy, to ask, “Can you text me now?”
The ad showcases Aldrin, sporting his iconic Apollo 11 mission patch, planting Verizon flags in remote locations across the globe. From desert canyons to snow-capped mountains, he demonstrates the ability to send texts using his Verizon Android phone, even in areas previously devoid of cellular service. The commercial culminates with a humorous scene featuring Marcarelli in a spacesuit on the moon receiving Aldrin’s message.
Verizon’s new satellite service extends coverage to areas within the U.S. where cellular service is unavailable, leveraging partnerships with Skylo and AST SpaceMobile. Compatible phones, such as Google Pixel 9 and Samsung Galaxy S25 models, require a clear line of sight to the satellite for the service to function. The FCC recently authorized AST SpaceMobile to begin testing its direct-to-cellular satellite service in the U.S., marking a significant step forward in connectivity.
Aldrin, in a statement, reflected on the advancements in technology since his lunar landing, stating, “Back then, space was the great unknown, and now we’ve never been closer to it.” He celebrated this “giant leap for connectivity,” highlighting the remarkable progress in both space exploration and communication technologies. This is not Aldrin’s first foray into advertising; he has previously appeared in commercials for companies including IBM, YouTube TV, and Quaker Oats.
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