Here’s How KFC Is Sending Their Zinger Sandwich Into The Stratosphere

When KFC dropped their commercial featuring Rob Lowe as a “Space Colonel” declaring their new Zinger sandwich would be traveling to space, we weren’t entirely sure what was going on.

Now, thanks to a newly launched website, we have all the details on exactly what’s going down.

On June 21st, one of KFC’s Zingers will be placed into a “robotic bucket satellite” affixed to a high-altitude balloon that can stay elevated for long periods of time. It will then take eighty minutes from launch to send the sandwich into the stratosphere, where the entire contraption will stay for four days. Special cameras will also be up there to record footage that will be broadcasted on the aforementioned website and through social media.

During the mission, the various functions of the bucket satellite will be utilized. These include a device for the robot to take selfies of the sandwich and the ability to broadcast fan tweets using the hashtag #ZingerSpaceTweet. The robot will also perform a coupon drop, although we don’t know what the coupons are for or where they will end up.

To keep the Zinger protected in space, polyurethane (the material used to finish and protect wood) will coat the buns and chicken, while a preservative called Freshin will maintain the lettuce’s integrity. The Zinger won’t be edible as a result, but at least it’ll look good for the cameras.

While the space trip will only last until the 25th, KFC’s website does feature a timeline that says the full mission ends on June 30th. While we’re not sure exactly why that is, it could be a sign that something else will be happening over those few days. Another possibility is that the Zinger, which is a limited-time item, will be taken off of the menu at that point.

Guess we’ll have to stay tuned to the entire mission to solve that mystery.