Two Canadian teens send Lego minifig into space - incredible video

streeker · January 2012

Thanks to Peter and harry99 over at ToysNBricks for this amazing story. Two teens decide for fun to launch a homemade balloon with cameras, videos and a Lego minifig holding a Canadian flag 24 kms or 15mi above the Earth. You have to check out the amazing video, well worth the time.

http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1120808--toronto-teens-send-lego-man-on-an-a-balloon-odyssey-24-kilometres-high?bn=1

Also, here's a short follow-up story about the new-found media interest in the two guys. Matthew Ho attended the press conference after finishing a two-hour math test!

http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1121298--teens-who-built-lego-space-man-revel-in-spotlight-after-star-story

yys4u · January 2012

Wow that's amazing... after watching the video I was sad because it seemed like the LEGO man didn't make it back... But I think he did? The picture in the second link is at the press conference and the LEGO man is attached. He must have been held in there with some strong glue, considering the balloon popped in space.

airjordan · January 2012

Haha, that was cool AF. Nice post

Eric · January 2012

Wow. Probably ended up in some kid's backyard, would be a dream come true, Lego falling from the sky. :)

Odindusk · January 2012

That has to feel so great, you know? How many photos from space have you or I taken? These two can say that they did. Well done, Canadians.

streeker · January 2012

@yys4u, I was also confused, because although the video showed the LEGO minifig still attached at the point when the balloon bursts, by touchdown, he's not on the screen anymore. Maybe he did a spacewalk? Moonwalk his way to the other side of the plank?

Ah, to be young and fearless again!

cheshirecat · January 2012

It is cool, and I don't want to be a miserable *** or belittle their achievements but..... as I understand it 'Space' is a defined place that doesn't begin until approximately 62 miles above sea level. America describes an astronaut as someone who has gone above 50 miles. In no way does 80,000 feet (about 15miles) (and even that is only a guess as they didn't include any measuring device) mean you (or in this case your lego man) got into space. Even if their guess is accurate that's barely in the stratosphere (20-50km). You can call it 'near space' as I've seen some reports more correctly say but even thats a largely unscientific term that relates to a huge range (65,000 to 350,000 feet). It's what we used to call the 'upper atmosphere' but I guess thats not sexy enough for todays media.

This kind of reporting that just ignores facts and in particular science just pisses me off. I bet they wouldn't get the number of oscar nominations Meryl Streep has won wrong, but oh a little scientific inaccuracy doesn't matter.

Concorde regularly flew at 55,000 feet and I'm sure lego men inadvertently made that journey a number of times.

Coolsplash · January 2012

Ok after seeing this video and a big YAY for that other kind, Muhammad who is from my country achieved such an amazing feat, while I was watching the video my son peeked in and saw it as well and now he wants to do something like this. But he wants to send a Mythical creature/character up in space :)

But its going to be tough due to the tracking the space drop outs on GPS. Lets see.

emilewski · January 2012

^^ yes, I do agree. To give the kids credit, they did say "near space" at 2:30, not "space". Still cool.

^^^ They did say they had four cameras on it. I assume the shots of landing, etc is from one of the other cameras to better show the scenery rather than all of them showing the LEGO guy.