U researchers launch new Minnesota flag into space

Two months after Minnesota’s new state flag went up poles across the state, it went up into outer space.

A group of students and instructors at the University of Minnesota’s Department of Mechanical Engineering sent American, Minnesotan and school flags above the atmosphere earlier this week, as part of a research mission.

The photos, posted to several social media sites, show the three flags high above a cloud-spotted Earth. It inspired pride among commenters and thousands of likes, comments and reposts.

“Well that’s friggin sweet,” Gov. Tim Walz posted on X.

The flags stowed away with a “research payload” from the Laboratory for Nano Optics and Mechanics at the university.

About a half-dozen students led by Profs. Ognjen Ilic and James Flaten launched Wednesday morning from Montgomery. The payload hung from a balloon above the state for several hours before returning to Earth.

Ilic said the group is researching nanocomposite materials — strong but lightweight materials that could be used in “next generation” spacecraft and satellites — and how they react in the colder, radiation-heavy environment of space.

“We have a new state flag and we were excited to represent the U and of course it kind of felt like it would look awesome,” Ilic said. “Then we thought it would be nice to share with everyone else.”

Some Minnesotans admitted they are still warming up to the new flag. Seeing it high in the cosmos has helped.

“I’ve had a hard time accepting the new flag … but gotta say that in space it looks cool,” one Reddit commenter wrote, adding a thumbs-up emoji.

“I don’t even know why, this just really gave me a warm fuzzy feeling to see!” another wrote.

Of course, others would have preferred to see the famous “Laser Loon” design that ultimately was not chosen as the state’s new flag. Ilic agrees it would have been “awesome,” but he said he was thrilled to see the photos inspire such enthusiasm.