Why send something into space for $99?
The question arises, what would you send into space and why? Just for the sake of it or to brag around that you live with a space returned puppy or simply to auction the pebbles on the street for millions, as done here?
Masten Space Systems in Santa Clara, US, has taken the mast in their hands and are determined to take just anything that fits into a soda can sized canister and weighing not more than 350 grams to space and of course, back for just $99. The company is quite sure of practically launching its first craft dubbed as the 'XA (eXtreme Altitude) 1.0' suborbital rocket loaded with 300 CanSats as early as 2008.
The CanSats will be exposed to microgravity for several minutes 100 km above Earth before returning. The marathon runner craft will be prepared for another flight within hours of first landing making space travel as simple as taking a local flight. The advertisement of the company goes "Space science at a 'bake sale' price" and Masten is planning to raise rise the price to $199 depending on the success of the crazy idea, although the larger 5-kilogram canisters would cost $1250.
Image: Masten Space Systems
Via: newscientistspace
