You heard it right! The video game company, Valve, is likely to pioneer in the field of ‘having a character to stand out of this world, quite literally’! Its famous red-capped garden gnome from the Half-Life series is set to be launched into space in mid-November this year. This is being done by the company’s president, Gabe Newell, for charity to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit of the Starship Hospital, New Zealand.
According to sources, this is to be carried out specifically as a celebration of the “Little Rocket Man” achievement from ‘Episode two’ of the video game. There have been a bunch of achievements following the iconic gnome in instances other than that of the Valve owned video game, like in memes and viral ad campaigns.
Nobody Balances It Like The Honourable President Of Valve
As for the question of charity vs advertisement, it is perceived to be more meaningful than SpaceX’s launch of a Tesla Roadster that came with no charity. It cannot be denied that this gravity-defying stunt is not a completely selfless act as it will undoubtedly add to the character’s fame, all the way increasing the popularity of the game, and Valve, in particular.
The “How”
The entire process is carried out in collaboration with the Weta Workshop and the Rocket Lab. The 150mm tall gnome is made entirely of titanium and is to be accompanied by 29 satellites of the Rocket Lab. Interestingly, the launch will be a test for the 3D printing technique used in the project for the first time ever.
What Makes it Most Interesting…
….is the fact that you personally can give a hand in donating to the Starship Hospital no matter whichever corner of the Earth you might be in. To do so, follow the Rocket Lab’s site and watch the satellite launch live stream as it leaves from the southern tip of the Mahia Peninsula.
Follow Rocket Lab’s socials for updates on specific launch timing heading into the 14-day launch window that starts on November 16th NZT (6AM ET/3AM PT on the 15th). You can also watch the online recording within 24 hours of launch as Valve will donate a dollar for every view.
This is the first such instance where a character from a video game has a direct effect on a humanitarian act with the help of space technology that also includes providing us with the opportunity to contribute to it.
