Jack White's Label Just Played The First Ever Vinyl Record In Space

Third Man Records, the US record label founded by The White Stripes frontman Jack White, have just become the first to ever play a vinyl record in space.

As ABC reports, a mash-up of Carl Sagan's A Glorious Dawn by John Boswell was carried by a high altitude balloon 28,000 metres above earth on a turntable designed to play in the conditions, which took over three years to create. 

The record reportedly played for about 80 minutes before the balloon burst, sending the record back to ground in Idaho. 

"It brings us great fulfilment to pay tribute to the incredible scientist and dreamer that Carl Sagan was," White said in a statement.

"We hope that in meeting our goal we inspire others to dream big and start their own missions, whatever they may be."

The specialised product, coined the Icarus Craft, had to be designed so that the turntable could keep the vinyl cool, while the record was plated in gold to avoid the grooves losing shape.

"As you rise higher and higher into the thinning atmosphere, temperature and increasing vacuum (lack of air) can cause issues," electronics consultant Kevin Carrico said.

"Vinyl has a rather low melting point (71 degrees Celsius), and without air to keep things cool, you could wind up with a lump of melted plastic on your hands if a record is exposed to the sun for too long.

"Without air, things in direct sunlight can get very hot while things in shade can get very cold.

"This constant expansion and contraction can physically distort a vinyl record rendering it unplayable."