This Fried Chicken Sandwich Going To Outer Space Is A Giant Leap For Mankind

NYT - An Arizona company, World View Enterprises, plans to send tourists on balloons into the stratosphere, high enough to see the curves of Earth and the blackness of space.

But its initial passenger will be a tangy fried chicken sandwich.

The company said on Tuesday that the first flight of a fully equipped high-flying balloon would take off as soon as June 21, with a payload of fast food.

World View was finishing up development of balloons it calls stratollites — a mash-up of stratosphere and satellites — and while a stratollite will not reach the 62-mile-high threshold regarded as the edge of space, it is also much cheaper than a sending a rocket to orbit.

If all goes according to plan, the balloon will stay aloft for at least four days. Earlier stratollite flights, testing various components, were in the air for less than a day.

Ultimately, stratollites could prove a boon to atmospheric and astronomical research, serving as platforms for long-term observations. Downward-looking radar could provide data to generate earlier and more precise storm warnings. Other stratollites could serve as internet relays over remote parts of the world.

Humans are obsessed with Earth’s surroundings, so naturally there’s been a lot of shit thrown into space for “research purposes” throughout history. The International Space Station, George Clooney & Sandra Bullock, Neil Armstrong went to the Moon (maybe), and there’s also something in the back of my mind telling me the Russians have tossed a few monkeys and maybe a dog up there but don’t quote me on that.

Needless to say, when someone or something breaks out of our atmosphere and makes it all the way past the Karman Line it’s a pretty fucking big deal- kinda like when the McRib comes back or the Browns win a football game. Now the goddamn Zinger from our favorite colonel is making it’s way into the stratosphere. I’m not gonna lie, I tried the Zinger last week and it was most certainly a bang for my buck. 10/10 would get it again if I was in a rush to get something in my tummy before a night of drinking.

And now they are taking that delicious sandwich and sending it to space for research purposes. If the Zinger can survive space flight with these balloons, humans may be next. That’s a lot of pressure for a fried chicken sandwich, but also shows how much respect the space community has for delicious fast food.

So here’s to the Zinger making it back safe, sound, and uneaten by aliens. Hopefully this company learns everything they need to know about blasting shit into space, so we can start taking space vacations before we know it.