The closest most of us 'round here will ever get to outer space is blogging about the Lunar X Prize, so our inner astronauts get rather giddy any time an amateur makes it to the cusp of the gravity well.

ENGADGET: Teens take pictures of space with balloon, Nikon Coolpix camera

However, what I still could do was work on the Space Shuttle program as a scientist where my work developing food for astronauts involved a project to send the first can of Coca-Cola into outer space.

WHITEHOUSE: Engage and Connect