It's the perfect gift for a Star Wars fan--a Storm Trooper Whiskey Decanter from the edge of space. On Oct. 10th, it hitched a ride onboard a cosmic ray research balloon floating 106,066 feet above the Sierra Nevada mountains of central California.
 
During the 2.3 hour flight, the 750 ml decanter experienced temperatures as low as -54 C and air pressures less than 0.09% of sea level. According to the radiation sensors, cosmic ray levels were 100 times Earth-normal as the decanter reached the top of our planet’s atmosphere and touched the edge of space. After the balloon exploded (as planned), the payload parachuted back to Earth, landing in the Last Chance Mountains on the verge of Death Valley National Park.
 
The decanter comes with a greeting card showing the item in flight, and telling the story of its journey to the stratosphere and back again. All purchases help pay the helium bill for our student ballooning program.