Say Cheese! Earth to Become Ultimate Selfie Backdrop in 2025
Remember those grainy childhood photos with you awkwardly squinting at the camera while your popsicle dripped down your hand? Or maybe that blurry shot from your school dance where you couldn’t even tell who was who?
Prepare yourself for a selfie revolution because in 2025, the stage for self-portraits will reach epic proportions—literally. Thanks to a mind-blowing project helmed by the brilliant minds of former NASA engineer and YouTube sensation Mark Rober, Google, T-Mobile, and SpaceX, your next selfie could feature the Earth as your backdrop.
This audacious venture involves propelling a dedicated selfie satellite, aptly named “SAT GUS,” into low orbit. Orbiting at approximately 600 kilometers above Earth, SAT GUS will be equipped with two cameras and two Pixel phones, all powered by the sun’s energy. Imagine: your smiling face immortalized against the breathtaking curvature of our planet.
Thus far, January 2025 marks the tentative launch date dreamt up by Rober. After a few months in orbit, SAT GUS will supposedly begin snapping selfies. The plan is for the satellite to capture your image whenever it happens to be positioned directly above your city. However, instead of picturing the Earth directly behind you, SAT GUS will photograph a smartphone displaying your selfie with our pale blue dot as the inspirational cm background. This stunning image will then be transmitted directly to you – first come, first served.
“One small step for humanity, one big leap for your selfies”," This is how Sat Gus, the selfie satellite, will work. © Mark Rober
Want to be part of history in the making? Head over to the Space Selfie website (https://spaceselfie.com/) to register for your chance. The best part? It’s completely free. To secure your virtual photo shoot in space, you’ll need to obtain a special code. You can acquire this code through several avenues: the T-Life application (exclusive to T-Mobile subscribers), Google for Pixel users, or by registering on CrunchLabs, Mark Rober’s platform dedicated to promoting STEM education through engaging engineering kits.
Once you obtain your coveted code, the next step is to submit your selfie. While the name suggests individual portraits, you’re welcome to submit shots with friends, family, or even your furry companions! Just remember, the exact same image is the one that will be displayed in front of the Earth when the moment arrives.
Mark Rober – the man with a dream bigger than Earth itself
Who knew space exploration could be so delightfully simple? So grab your best smile, prep your best pose, and get ready for a selfie experience unlike any other.
What technology will SAT GUS use to capture Earth selfies?
## Say Cheese! Earth to Become Ultimate Selfie Backdrop in 2025
**Today we welcome Mark Rober, former NASA engineer and renowned Youtube content creator, to discuss his groundbreaking project, SAT GUS! Mark, thanks for joining us.**
**Mark:** Thanks for having me!
**This project sounds absolutely incredible! Could you tell our audience what exactly SAT GUS is all about?**
**Mark:** Sure! We’re launching a satellite, SAT GUS, into low Earth orbit, around 600 kilometers up. The satellite itself will be equipped with two cameras and two Pixel phones, all powered by solar energy.
**And what will this satellite be doing up there? **
**Mark:** Its sole purpose is to take selfies of people on Earth! You’ll be able to upload your selfie to the satellite, and its cameras will snap a picture of you with the Earth as your stunning backdrop.
**Wow, that’s amazing! How did you come up with this idea?**
**Mark:** [laughing] Honestly, I think it was just a result of me constantly pushing the boundaries with my YouTube projects. I wanted to do something truly unique, something that would inspire awe and wonder.
**Speaking of awe-inspiring, you’ve partnered with some big names on this project - Google, T-Mobile, and SpaceX. Tell us about those collaborations.**
**Mark:** Absolutely! We couldn’t have pulled this off without them. Google is providing the Pixel phones, T-Mobile is handling the communication link from the satellite to Earth, and SpaceX is giving us a ride up to orbit. It truly is a team effort.
**When can people start taking their Earth selfies?**
**Mark:** We’re aiming for a launch in January 2025. After a few months of testing and calibration, SAT GUS should be ready to take selfies from space.
**This is going to be huge! Thanks for sharing this exciting news with us, Mark. We can’t wait to see the incredible selfies people capture with SAT GUS.**
**Mark:** My pleasure! I’m just as excited to see what people do with this technology.
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