When meteorites land on Earth, they usually stay on Earth. This one went back to space. On Sept. 16, 2026, we flew this genuine Muonionalusta iron meteorite pendant to the stratosphere onboard a cosmic ray research balloon.

The original meteorite crashed to Earth in northern Sweden about a million years ago and was preserved in glacial ice where it was discovered in 1906. This polished spherical fragment is mounted in a sterling silver "planetary rings" frame.

You can tell it's real just by looking. The surface of the sphere is covered with Widmanstätten patterns--interlocking crystals of iron-nickel alloy that grew inside the core of a shattered planetesimal as it cooled over millions of years. The process is so slow, it can't be reproduced in any lab on Earth. Etching the polished metal with acid brings the crystals out.
 
During the nearly 3 hour flight, the pendant experienced temperatures as low as -57 C and air pressures less than 0.08% of sea level. According to the radiation sensors inside the payload, cosmic ray levels were 100 times Earth-normal. After the balloon exploded (as planned), the payload parachuted back to Earth, landing in Death Valley Wash on the outskirts of Death Valley National Park.
 
The students are selling space pendants to pay the helium bill for their cosmic ray ballooning program. Each one comes with a greeting card showing the necklace in flight and telling the story of its trip to the stratosphere and back again.