Back in late November, iPhone case maker Urban Armor Gear sent an iPhone into space using a weather balloon, and in early January, the site shared a video depicting the iPhone's journey to the stratosphere in an Urban Armor Gear case.


The iPhone soared 101,000 feet into the atmosphere, and was subjected to 70 mile per hour winds and temperatures that dropped to -79 degrees Fahrenheit. Though turned on at launch, the iPhone later shut off and froze due to the cold weather.

Urban Armor Gear hooked the iPhone up to a weather balloon rig that also included a GPS locator and two GoPro cameras for filming. Upon descent, the iPhone and the flight rig withstood 150 RPM rotation speeds, and at landing, the rig broke while the iPhone managed to remain unscathed.

"Our cases already meet military drop-test standards, but now we can officially say that they are space tested as well," said Steve Armstrong, co-founder of Urban Armor Gear. "The fact that the iPhone survived its space adventure and returned fully functioning showcases our commitment in providing our customers world-class, or in this case out of this world, protection for their premium devices."

The iPhone was protected by an Urban Armor composite case which promises military-grade protection, but it did not have a screen protector and still managed to come out undamaged. After landing, the iPhone powered back on and was fully functional, demonstrating the durability and solid construction of the device.

Top Rated Comments

5t3f4n Avatar
142 months ago
Can't believe they didn't use a Space Gray model.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Anonymous Freak Avatar
142 months ago
100,000 feet isn't space!!!

The international definition of "space" is 100 km (about 61 miles, 328,000 feet.) The US Air Force used to use 50 miles (264,000 feet.)

Also, I'm a bit surprised at how warm it is at 101 K feet up. I thought the temperature would be much closer to absolute zero than just -50. You can find that temperature at sea level near the poles.

Um, even in orbit around the dark (as in: unlit by the sun; separate from "back") side of the moon it doesn't get that close to absolute zero. The dark side of the moon (no atmosphere, no solar radiation for 14 days,) gets as cold as -243 F (-153 C.) Still well above absolute zero.

There are craters near the north pole of the moon that are permanently in shadow, so never receive any solar radiation. They can get as low as -413 F (-247 C,) colder even than Pluto. Still noticeably above absolute zero (which is -459 F, -273 C.)

So, especially right above the Earth's surface, where there is still measurable atmosphere (thin, yes, but it's thick enough for jet engines to work, and airfoils to provide lift and control, as evidenced by the fact that the SR-71 jet-powered spy plane could fly that high,) means it shouldn't be surprising that it isn't "near absolute zero."

In fact, it is often WARMER at 100,000 feet than at lower (but still high) altitudes. The standard model is that air temperature at 100,000 ft. is approximately 100 degrees (F) cooler than the sea level temperature directly underneath. But between 35,000 feet and 85,000 feet, it is often 130 degrees (F) cooler! So as you travel up, it gets colder and colder as you reach 35,000 feet, then stays about the same until you reach 85,000 feet, then starts to warm up as you get to 100,000 feet.

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/weather/wstdatmo.htm
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JayLenochiniMac Avatar
142 months ago
Moot because they didn't include a control (another iPhone sans the case).
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
octothorpe8 Avatar
142 months ago
Wow, this case is strong enough to protect a phone from a slowed-down drop onto soft dirt! Great.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jayducharme Avatar
142 months ago
Wow, this case is strong enough to protect a phone from a slowed-down drop onto soft dirt! Great.

And actually, the drop consisted of only a few inches when it detached from the clamp after the rig hit the dirt. This really is a much better ad for GoPro.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
redscull Avatar
142 months ago
I feel like they lucked out it landing in a mud puddle instead of hitting that wooden fence.

Also, way to go GoPro. They kept recording even though the iPhone had to shut itself off. Their investors should take note; Apple doesn't have anything in their league regarding extreme conditions video capture.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Apple Shopping Event 2025

Apple Announces 2025 Black Friday Event, Here's What You Can Get

Thursday November 20, 2025 6:28 am PST by
Apple's annual four-day Black Friday through Cyber Monday shopping event is returning on Friday, November 28 through Monday, December 1 in many countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Thailand, and others. During the shopping event, customers can get an Apple gift card with...
applecare apple care banner

Apple Brings New AppleCare+ Options to India

Tuesday November 18, 2025 8:42 am PST by
Apple today announced an expansion of AppleCare+ coverage in India, with new options for monthly and annual plans, and the addition of Theft and Loss for iPhone for the first time. Options for monthly and annual AppleCare+ plans in India provide more choice and flexibility, allowing users to keep coverage for as long as they require. Apple's vice president of Worldwide iPhone Product...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Wednesday November 19, 2025 4:00 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
iOS 26

Everything New in iOS 26.2 Beta 3

Monday November 17, 2025 3:20 pm PST by
Apple provided developers with the third beta of an upcoming iOS 26.2 update, and there are still new features that are being added with each beta that we get. We've rounded up all of the changes that Apple made in beta 3. AirDrop Apple added new AirDrop functionality, providing a way for two people to share files temporarily without having to add one another as contacts. iOS 26.2...
ipad mini 7 feature red and blue

iPad Mini 8: Four Major New Features to Expect

Wednesday November 19, 2025 7:50 am PST by
Apple's eighth-generation iPad mini is highly likely to arrive next year, offering a significant refresh of the device with at least four major new features. OLED Display The next-generation version of the iPad mini could feature an OLED display, as part of Apple's plan to expand the display technology across many more of its devices. Apple's first OLED device was the Apple Watch in 2015, ...
Apple Wallet ID Illinois

iPhone Driver's License Feature Launching in Illinois

Tuesday November 18, 2025 8:47 am PST by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Starting this Wednesday, November 19, the feature will be available to residents of Illinois. The announcement confirmed that the...
iPhone 17 Pro and Air N1 Feature

iPhone 17 vs. iPhone 16 Wi-Fi Speeds: New Study Reveals the Winner

Tuesday November 18, 2025 10:53 am PST by
A new study has revealed that the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air achieve significantly faster average Wi-Fi speeds compared to the iPhone 16 series, thanks to Apple's custom-designed N1 chip. The study was conducted by Ookla, the company behind the popular Speedtest website and app. It said the results are based on global, crowdsourced Speedtest user data...
macbook black friday

The Best Early Black Friday Mac Deals

Tuesday November 18, 2025 7:32 am PST by
We're getting closer to Black Friday, which lands next week on Friday, November 28. In the lead-up to the shopping holiday, we're tracking a few lowest-ever prices on Apple's most popular Macs, including the M4 MacBook Air and brand new M5 MacBook Pro. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment,...
Magic Keyboard Touch ID Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for 140W USB-C Power Adapter, Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad

Tuesday November 18, 2025 1:05 pm PST by
Apple today released updated firmware for several accessories, including the 140W USB-C Power Adapter, the Magic Trackpad 2, the Magic Trackpad USB-C, the Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, and the Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad. There is no word on what's included in the updated firmware at this time, but it could offer performance improvements and security updates. Accessory...
watchos 26 workout app

Apple Watch Users Claim Workout App Is Now Worse in Every Way

Thursday November 20, 2025 7:01 am PST by
Apple Watch owners have been voicing their frustration online over changes to the Workout app that Apple introduced in watchOS 26, with many finding the redesigned interface makes starting exercises difficult and exasperating. When Apple launched watchOS 26 in September, the Workout app went from large, easily tapped workout tiles to a scrolling, corner-button interface. Instead of tapping a ...