LOUISVILLE, Ky. – KFC Corp. and Tucson, Arizona-based space exploration company World View have announced their partnership and intent to launch KFC’s popular Zinger chicken sandwich to the edge of space and back collecting telemetry data during the mission. The trip will be the longest controlled stratospheric balloon flight with a commercial payload in history and the first ever multi-day mission of World View’s Stratollite flight system.
The launch window for the Zinger Stratollite flight opens on June 21. The Stratollite balloon has the mobility and capacity to circumnavigate Earth, persist over a specific location and maintain its position over specific areas of interest for days, weeks and months.
“We’re excited to be the ones pushing spicy, crispy chicken sandwich space travel forward,” said Kevin Hochman, KFC US president in a statement. “But in all seriousness, we’re proud to support World View’s commitment to advancing space research and trust them to take our world-famous Zinger sandwich to space.”
World View’s Stratollites represent new potential and could serve as stationary Wi-Fi hubs in remote or undeveloped areas that may not have existing internet access, or monitor ongoing crisis situations from a previously inaccessible vantage point. Disaster preparedness and response also are future uses. From predicting weather events days in advance, to monitoring ongoing or quickly arising weather and disaster events the balloons can assist first responders with rapid communications and surveying capabilities.
“The Stratollite was created to deliver meaningful access to space for all,” said Taber MacCallum, World View co-founder and chief technology officer. “This mission offers edge-of-space access to KFC, allowing them to embark upon a one-of-a-kind marketing experiment, while we get to pursue our maiden multi-day Stratollite shakedown cruise and open unprecedented access to the stratosphere. It’s a double win.”
Watch this historic flight unfold at: https://yesweareactuallysendingachickensandwichto.space/.
