An X-Wing has made it to space in real life, thanks to a project by a two-person space photography outfit from Essex, UK launched as an attempt to get tickets to the Star Wars: The Force Awakens VIP premiere. Project Helium Tears, which uses weather balloons to take pictures of Earth from the very edge of space, fixed an X-Wing model to one of their balloons and sent it up, capturing the flight in a short video viewable above.
The pair is hoping that J.J. Abrams’ stated love of practical effects will lead to him swooning over the launch, and result in tickets to the ultra-exclusive event. After all, short of actual venturing to the Star Wars universe, what could be better than attending the premiere of the new movie, where you’ll likely rub shoulders with the stars themselves?