Fast food giant KFC raised eyebrows last month upon announcing its plans of sending a spicy fried chicken sandwich – the Zinger – up into Space, or somewhere close, at least. According to NY Times, the Zinger will be launched so high up it will see the Earth’s curvature and get a full view of the outer space. It’s technically still within the planet’s atmosphere, but this is as close a sandwich could get to becoming an astronaut.
Will the Zinger be able to survive the harsh elements of space? Only time and this giant hypobaric chamber will tell. Also, yes, it will. pic.twitter.com/b82HNmPjNM
— KFC (@kfc) June 13, 2017
It’s weird, to be downright honest, but the astronaut-sandwich project is part of World View Enterprises’ flight demo, which aims to put humans next using its high-end balloons.
KFC and WVE are planning to livestream the whole thing, of course, so viewers can go so space too.
Oddities that made it into space
Ever since humans defied the odds and started exploring areas off-Earth, we’ve been more informed of what the outer space is like, and because we are a weird bunch, we’ve decided to throw in a couple of strangeness as well.
Once we’ve sent a recording of a mother kissing a child, a drawing of a penis, and at one point a band sent one of their singles up in space, for the purpose of gratification – that they’re new song be played beyond Earth. It’s all very cool and quite creative, but it gets better.
Buzz Lightyear, the toy space ranger voiced by Tim Allen in the “Toy Story” series, had been up in outer space as well.
It’s like a dream come true, and would fit rather perfectly along the confines of the “Toy Story” plot. Whether Buzz actually saw Star Command we’ll never know, but the figurine spent almost 500 days aboard the Discovery space shuttle, the longest a toy has ever been in space.
But Buzz isn’t the only toy that’s enjoyed space time – some Lego figures have space-fared as well.
Add to that the lightsaber that Mark Hamill actually used in “Return of the Jedi,” while playing Luke Skywalker.
More of KFC’s Zinger astronaut
Going back to the sandwich that’s about to be hurled into space, it’s expected to travel 60,000 to 80,000 feet above the Earth’s surface, according to KFC. Astronauts call this area “near space,” and it will float up there for four days.
“Like astronauts need protective covering in space, so does the Zinger,” the fast food chain said. “Therefore, the space-bound Zinger’s sesame seed bun and hand-breaded chicken fillet will be treated with polyurethane and the lettuce with Freshin to help preserve the aesthetic of the Zinger.”
Although it’s set to be a flight demo, it’s difficult not to question the point of it all. Although yes, it’s cool a sandwich gets to be up there, but if the outer space were conscious of the whole thing, pretty sure it would gasp: “What on Earth?!”
