A selfie from space, a reality thanks to a YouTuber! Mark Rober, former NASA engineer, launches “Space Selfie”, an ambitious project allowing people to take a selfie from Earth’s orbit. Thanks to a partnership with Redwire, Google and T-Mobile, your face could soon be floating above the Earth. Find out how to take part in this unique adventure.
The ingenious technology behind Space Selfie
Do you dream of seeing your face floating in the cosmic immensity, with the Earth in the background? Mark Rober, ex-NASA engineer and star YouTuber, has transformed this phantasmagoria into reality. Thanks to his daring project, “Space Selfie”, you could soon boast of having a selfie… taken from space. It’s not a joke. Rober, known for his spectacular scientific videos and his boundless inventiveness, has developed a satellite, called SAT GUS, capable of photographing selfies transmitted by users around the world. This ambitious project, which is part of a broader educational approach focused on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), is based on a solid partnership with several major players in the technology and space industry.
At the heart of the operation, Redwire Corporation, a company specializing in space infrastructure, provides its cutting-edge photographic technology. Recognized for its experience in civil, commercial and defense missions – having notably contributed to Intuitive Machines’ lunar missions and NASA’s Artemis I mission – Redwire provides cameras capable of capturing high-resolution images even in the extreme environment of space. These robust and efficient cameras serve a unique mission: to immortalize your selfies against the majestic backdrop of our planet.
The system is ingenious: your selfie, sent via the site
spaceselfie.com
will be displayed on a Google Pixel phone on board the satellite. Redwire’s cameras will then take a photo of the phone, creating your unique space selfie. The satellite, which will be launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket as part of the Transporter 12 mission, plans to take about 1,000 photos per day. The precise location of the snapshot will depend on how visible your location is from orbit. You will receive notifications letting you know when your selfie is immortalized.
Access to this extraordinary experience, however, is not as simple as a click. If T-Mobile offers free codes to its subscribers via its T-Mobile Tuesdays application, other options exist for those who are not customers of the operator. CrunchLabs, a key partner of the project, offers codes in exchange for donations intended to support educational programs for young people and students from backgrounds underrepresented in scientific fields. A donation of $30 or more allows you to obtain a code and contribute to a noble cause, notably supporting FIRST Robotics and Google.org.
The educational aspect of the Space Selfie project is crucial. It is about stimulating interest in STEM among younger generations, encouraging them to embrace scientific and technological careers. Mark Rober, with his social media influence (over 60 million subscribers on YouTube), plays a vital role in spreading this inspiring message. By making space accessible – even if only virtually – it contributes to democratizing space exploration and cultivating scientific curiosity among a wide audience.
Launch and outlook: a selfie for history
The launch of the satellite is scheduled for January 2025. The first space selfies should be available a few months later. Be careful though: all photos will be published on the Space Selfie website, making your selfie accessible to the whole world. If the idea of sharing your face with millions of Internet users puts you off, think twice before participating. But for others, it is a unique opportunity to participate in an innovative project and leave an indelible mark in the history of space exploration, all with a breathtaking view of our planet. The ultimate selfie, in a way. A technological, scientific and human experience, which goes far beyond the simple framework of a souvenir photo.
Mark Rober’s initiative is part of a broader trend: public involvement in space missions. Whether by sending names to the Moon or the possibility of contributing to scientific projects, NASA and other space agencies are increasingly seeking to share the space adventure with as many people as possible. Space Selfie represents a major step forward in this direction, making the space experience accessible to a wider and younger audience, thanks to innovative technology and a fun, viral approach. This project also highlights the power of collaborations between players in the space, digital and educational sectors to inspire future generations of explorers and engineers.
