The Sweaty Stargazer: IN.Genius

This morning, Gary sent us a news article through Whatsapp, letting us know that a Singaporean team from a private company called In.Genius has successfully sent 3 rats up into the stratosphere via air balloons and they all came back alive.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/singaporean-team/1716002.html

This preliminary test was conducted to ensure that it is safe to send the very first Singaporean up during the Singapore National Day celebration on the 9th of August 2015. A series of tests are still necessary before that actually happens.

I have heard a great deal of good things that the founder of IN.Genius was trying to do. The founder is by the name of Mr. Lim Seng. He was trying to show that Singaporeans can dream big even though ours is a small island nation. He is a local prodigy by any standards.

However, his ostentatious ideas have met with stiff resistance, garnering him many naysayers - from the public skeptics to government approvals. Mr. Lim Seng has persisted to this very day for the past couple of years or so. One such incident was the "No Go" by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, or CAAS for short. IN.Genius was not allowed to conduct the balloon testing locally as air traffic would be severely affected in a jam packed air space in Singapore. So the IN.Genius team test-launched it in India instead.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/no-to-space-balloon/1578984.html

For once, I am proud to call myself a Singaporean because of what Mr. Lim Seng is doing. He has paved the way and laid the first brick as a foundation for us, Singaporeans, to venture into space exploration. It is something that we can collectively look upon as a nation. We don't need anymore bankers, or lawyers, or aspiring politicians. We need explorers, pioneers, and inventors - people who not only dream, but dare to fulfill that dream and inspire others to step forward.

I want to congratulate Mr. Lim Seng for the successful trial. I hope that his endeavour is seen and appreciated by all on Singapore's coming birthday.

Below are some pictures that were taken during an IN.Genius roadshow at Orchard Road. Photos credits to Ava.