“Send Grandma to Space”

For just $99 USD you can send your grandmother to space, that’s if she’ll fit into a can. That’s right! CanSats is a California based company that will send any object to “near space” and back. The only stipulations the company has in place is that the object must fit into a soda sized can, weigh no more than 350 grams, cannot be explosive or radioactive, and it if it goes up alive it must come back alive and in good form.

A rocket is in development that will carry 300 CanSats at one time. This rocket will fly to about 100 kilometers above the earth where the contents will be exposed to microgravity for a few minutes before returning to earth. Masten Space Systems is the company responsible for the rocket development.

The going rate is $99 but will increase to $199 when popularity increases. A larger container (5kg – 11lbs.) will run about $1250 USD. The launch is set for July 30, 2008, but if for some reason the launch is rejected Masten will refund.

Imagine buying a lottery ticket and watching as each and every number come up on your ticket, and then at the very last moment your dog tears it out of your hand and eats it. That’s what this space travel gimmick would be like. So close, yet so far away.

For just $99 USD you can send your grandmother to space, that’s if she’ll fit into a can. That’s right! CanSats is a California based company that will send any object to “near space” and back. The only stipulations the company has in place is that the object must fit into a soda sized can, weigh no more than 350 grams, cannot be explosive or radioactive, and it if it goes up alive it must come back alive and in good form.

A rocket is in development that will carry 300 CanSats at one time. This rocket will fly to about 100 kilometers above the earth where the contents will be exposed to microgravity for a few minutes before returning to earth. Masten Space Systems is the company responsible for the rocket development.

The going rate is $99 but will increase to $199 when popularity increases. A larger container (5kg – 11lbs.) will run about $1250 USD. The launch is set for July 30, 2008, but if for some reason the launch is rejected Masten will refund.

Imagine buying a lottery ticket and watching as each and every number come up on your ticket, and then at the very last moment your dog tears it out of your hand and eats it. That’s what this space travel gimmick would be like. So close, yet so far away.