Oreo 'Neptune' balloon to take an Indian to ‘edge of space’ before ISRO's Gaganyaan Human Spaceflight; Here’s how to sign up

Remember the good ol’ days when you could score a neat collectible at the bottom of your packet of chips? Remember the devastation the hoarder inside you felt when companies stopped providing such trinkets?

Don’t get your hopes up yet; we aren’t exactly revisiting this golden era of packaged food again. However, in true ‘Charlie and Chocolate Factory’ fashion, the well-known biscuit brand has offered one lucky individual the chance to experience the ride of their lifetimes. This one-in-a-billion Indian will be taken to space, courtesy of Oreo’s latest promotional event.

Not only will this take the winner to the current most exclusive travel destination available, but they will also become the second Indian citizen to ever go up to "space". According to Oreo, this event is being offered to commemorate the 40th year anniversary of the first Indian to venture into the black unknown, after Rakesh Sharma in 1984.

To make this unprecedented journey possible, the cookie company has partnered with the space tourism agency Space Perspective. The agency’s flagship balloon, called “Neptune”, can float passengers one lakh feet (approx. 30 kilometres) to the “edge of space”, no prior training required. Since Neptune will float gently to its destination over the course of six hours, the commuters will not have to deal with the pesky G-forces you would otherwise find in a traditional rocket.

However, it may be important to note that while the winners will get to float astoundingly high in the sky, the ultimate destination is still nowhere close to what is conventionally considered “outer space”. According to most regulatory bodies, the edge of space begins at the Kármán line, a point 100 kilometres above the mean sea level, above which any high-flying vehicles become termed as “spacecrafts”.

Nevertheless, if the event goes through as per the company’s expectations, Oreo may end up taking the second Indian to space a year before the Indian Space and Research Organisation (ISRO), albeit not nearly as far.

According to the latest estimates, ISRO’s Gaganyaan mission aims to send three astronauts to an orbit of 400 km in 2025. Meanwhile, Oreo’s website notes that the grand winner will “receive” their prize by July this year. However, the biscuit brand’s flight will only take the winner to a height of just over 30 km — less than 10% of the height planned under the ‘Gaganyaan’ mission.
How can I sign up?
In order to participate in the event, you will need to purchase a special edition ‘Space Dunk’ pack of Oreos, which will be available in the Indian market between May and June. Once you acquire one, scan the QR code on the packaging to sign up for the lottery.

The mega-price winner will relish a majestic view of the planet from a “Space Lounge”, alongside a world-class meal and a “Space Spa”. And don’t worry about bathroom jitters — the spacecraft comes fitted with a bathroom and Wi-Fi as well!

As per the company, one individual will win the grand prize to space, while 25 others will win a free trip to the Astroport Sariska resort in Rajasthan. Moreover, 60 people can also win a telescope worth Rs 30,000 (probably to watch the floating balloon!).

“All of us at some or the other point in time have wondered what it would be like in the outer space,” explains Nitin Saini, Vice President of Marketing at Oreo-parent Mondelez India. “And I am very happy that as a brand we are able to offer an Indian a chance to embark on this journey and experience the grandeur of space.”