One beer cooler, one parachute, and some duct tape. These may sound like the ingredients for one hell of a good time, but a group of students from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology took everyday objects and turned them into something pretty unbelievable.

For a total cost of about $150, the group led by student Oliver Yeh actually built their own low-budget contraption that traveled 93,000 feet above the Earth’s surface and captured images of the great blue yonder we call home.

Seemingly out of reach to the average Joe, space exploration for decades has been the playground of well-funded government agencies and pointy heads with doctorates in engineering. Billions upon billions of dollars have been spent for space exploration, but now, Blair Witch-style, the tables have turned in favor of the independent amateurs.

The MIT students, armed with a shopping list of objects such as a $20 weather balloon, a used camera, a pre-paid phone, hand warmers, batteries and aluminum foil, have brought space within reach of anyone with a bit of time on their hands and a Home Depot nearby.

Named the Icarus Balloon by the students, the MIT satellite took only a week of research and some crafty thinking to get to the launchpad. By combining the objects, adding a little helium, and installing software in the camera to take a picture every five minutes, the students were able to capture pictures of Earth usually only available to billion dollar satellites, all on the first try.

The name Icarus comes from the character in Greek mythology known for his attempt to escape Crete by flight, which ended in a fall to his death after flying too close to the sun.

For those out there itching to try their very own low budget gadget, the students plan to release a guide in the near future with step-by-step instructions. With the standard lapse temperature in the atmosphere dropping three degrees Fahrenheit per 1,000 feet, at 93,000 feet, it should be no problem keeping the beers cold.