Seriously; a doll into space? Yes, a California girl launched a "Hello Kitty" doll into space recently and has become somewhat of a NASA prodigy. Using a weather balloon, flight equipment and a little imagination, Lauren Rojas sent her rocket-gondola nearly 100,000 feet above the Earth. Wednesday, her school project will be judged. But even now, she's already a "winner."
Watch video: "Hello Kitty in Space" from launch to landing.
GMA followed up on the developing story of the Cornerstone Christian School student's extraordinarily project. Apparently, the girl's odyssey into space using a doll began when her father brought back a "Hello Kitty" souvenir from Japan recently.
From that, the girl hatched the idea of sending a doll into space to record pressure and temperatures at high altitudes as part of her school's science project.
"I said, 'Wow, are you serious?' I was kind of blown away because usually students don't do something that extravagant," said Lauren's teacher, Annette Cluck.
Rojas enlisted the help of her father to begin the ambitious journey to outer space.
Using several tiny digital video cameras, ingenuity and some help from a company specializing in weather balloon equipment, the California girl launched the "Hello Kitty" doll into space.
As far as the presentation was concerned, Lauren called on a family member, who helped her put together the video to the soundtrack, "We Are Young" featuring Janelle Monáe and "Fun."
It was nothing less than amazing.
In an instant, the weather balloon lifted up into the cosmos and spun around in dizzying speed until it reached a height of 93,625 feet (17.73 miles). There, the air was so thin; the balloon burst, and sent the doll racing back towards the Earth.
Rojas said the journey took less than two hours and her prize landed in a thicket of trees 47 miles away from where it launched.
Lauren and her crew managed to retrieve the doll and the rest is history.
While her entry appears like a certain winner, she's up against some tough competition with other bright minds. And if she does well with her science project, she moves on to a regional competition.
Who knew a girl could launch a "Hello Kitty" doll into space with just a bit of will, sweat-equity and imagination? After all, her "thing" is collecting bugs.
Good luck Lauren on your project
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