Technology has become so advanced that everyday people have access to technology that will allow them to do some extraordinary things. Like sending a weather balloon into the upper stratosphere to observe the darkness of space for example.
A young kid and his father designed a homemade spacecraft and sent it 100,000 feet into the upper stratosphere, using an HD camera, a weather balloon and an IPhone4 GPS system.
The project took 8 months of research and testing, and finally in August 2010 the launch took place in Newburgh, New York. The purpose was to film the blackness above earth and to see if they could over come the many variables in place that stand in the way when sending something to space. Variables such as: 100 mph wind speeds, temperatures -60 degrees below 0, and the possibility of a water landing. After 100,000 feet the balloon pops and descends back to earth. The significance behind this experiment is the ability for everyday people to push the boundaries. Sending anything into space is a relatively new premise, so this is a great example of what kind of exciting things people can do with technology that exists right here and now.
If anyone knows of any extraordinary accomplishments or ideas that people have come up with or that you have thought of and want to share, don't hesitate to throw in your two cents.
