A team at Google has launched a total of 7 Samsung Nexus S devices into “near space.” In an effort to test the phones capabilities at 30,000+ meters in the sky, the team constructed boxes made out of beer coolers to safely transport the phones via helium weather balloon.

The phones were mounted with their cameras facing out through clear plastic we get a glimpse what it looks like to be on the verge of space all from a camera phone. The test was done mainly to test the phones sensor functions while in a freezing cold near-vacuum, but the team definitely had a “let’s see if we can do it, and what happens” attitude.

Interestingly, this is not the last we will see of Google technology in space. Google is in talks with a UK-based satellite manufacturer to build small “commodity” satellites based on the core Nexus S technology. He says, “The phone is powerful enough.”

Out of the seven devices launched, 6 have been recovered so far. Check out the video below for the launch procedure:

[Via Engadget]