Mobile app maker ByPost is sending the World’s first postcard from Space. The company has unveiled its first Kickstarter campaign to fund the ambitious endeavour, which will see a Lego robot astronaut named ‘Oded’ climb to around 20 miles above Earth to take a photo of the curvature of the planet. In what is a groundbreaking initiative, ByPost has become the first company to offer a physically delivered reward at the minimum £1 pledge level without any additional cost to the backer. Kickstarter pariticipants that pledge £1 will receive a REAL physically delivered postcard of the image captured at 20 miles above the Earth. In the first project of its kind, Oded the astronaut will use the company’s iOS app ‘ByPost Postcard Maker’ linked to a satelliete antenna to upload the image whilst at 100,000 feet above ground level.
ByPost’s CEO Luke Heron says “We love Space and we love Postcards and thus this project is the perfect amalgamation of our two favourite things. This is rocket science but without the rockets. Our project will fund the sending of our Lego Mindstorms astronaut up into space via our own custom weather balloon, multi-camera pods and a series of mobile phones connected to a built in satellite antenna from around 20 miles above the earth’s surface.”
Heron expects the mobile devices to capture a series of precise and perfect images of the curvature of the earth which will be beamed back using the company’s iOS application coupled with a satellite antenna. Heron promises that every single backer of this project will receive a beautifully printed postcard, with the printing and shipping process beginning prior to the mission returning to earth.
The company is raising a minimum of £5,000 to fund the project, which it expects to come largely from participants at the minimum £1 pledge level. Heron says: “We want this to be an inclusive event that joins Space enthusiasts the World over.” The project has already received the public backing from virtual reality colossus and astronaut Richard Garriott.