T-Mobile customers will soon have the opportunity to take selfies in space, thanks to a partnership with former NASA engineer and YouTuber Mark Rober. Rober and CrunchLabs have created a satellite named SAT GUS that will orbit Earth and capture images of Google Pixel phones displaying selfies with the Earth as a backdrop.
The satellite will launch on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket during the Transporter 12 mission from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base. Once in orbit, the satellite will be able to take approximately 1,000 selfies daily. T-Mobile customers will have free access to a Space Selfie through the T-Mobile Tuesdays program starting December 3rd.
This project is not just about taking fun selfies; it’s also about promoting STEM education. If you are unfamiliar, STEM stands for “science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.” STEM education has been found to be important because it helps students develop skills in critical thinking, problem-solving, and innovation. These skills are essential for success in the 21st-century workforce, where those three tenets play such a big role in everyday life. Without them, individuals may struggle to adapt to the rapidly changing demands of modern workplaces.
CrunchLabs hopes this initiative will inspire young people to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math. To support this goal, CrunchLabs is offering codes to anyone who donates $30 or more to sponsor a future engineer. Donations will benefit FIRST Robotics and Google.org.
The first batch of selfies will be available a few months after the satellite’s launch in early 2025. All selfies will be publicly viewable on the Space Selfie website, at which time I’m sure more information on how to view them will be released.
This seems like a fun and innovative way to use technology, which is something I’m always interested in. Furthermore, the fact that it is being used as a way to promote STEM education, makes it worth it, in my opinion, to at least try out — if not just for the fun of it and the bragging rights to have had your selfie up in space. I’m also curious to see how the selfies turn out and how much money is eventually raised in this very worthwhile initiative.