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UK schoolkids send LEGO minifig to space [1]

['Gail Sherman']

Date: 2025-07-16

Students and faculty at Gobowen Primary School in Shropshire, England, sent a weather balloon, a camera, and a small, plastic passenger to the edge of space. While the experiment didn't work out quite as planned, it turned out to be quite an adventure for Dan the LEGO Man.

The camera is fixed on Dan's smiling face for the duration of the trip, even when the balloon shot up way past the intended altitude and popped, plunging the camera and Dan back to Earth.

Down on the ground, the student scientists lamented their failed experiment. The helium-filled balloon took off as planned, but shortly thereafter, the tracker stopped transmitting. Searches of the anticipated landing zone turned up empty. However, LEGO Man Dan was saved.

The following day, the tracker started to ping again, and Dan was located in a quarry in the nearby county of Nottinghamshire, looking none the worse for the experience. Data retrieved from the remains of the experiment showed that Dan experienced temperatures as low as -54 degrees. Although they don't know exactly how high Dan flew, they think he traveled "well above the planned 30,000ft."

If they repeat the experiment, they should consider a more appropriate facial expression for their astronaut. And perhaps a helmet.

Previously:

• Video of the suspected Chinese spy balloon (aka 'civilian airship') floating over Montana

• Paper planes launched from weather balloon

• DIY balloon camera photos from 90,000 feet

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[1] Url: https://boingboing.net/2025/07/16/uk-schoolkids-send-lego-minifig-to-space.html

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