A group of students at the University of Nottingham Ningbo China float a teddy bear to a height of 28,000 meters over the earth. [Photo/UNNC]

Li Zhenghan, a student at the University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC), and his classmates recently floated a teddy bear up to 28,000 meters above the earth's surface.

Li is a senior mechanical engineering student who dreams of space travel. Li formed a team to float the mascot of UNNC's Faculty of Science and Engineering – a teddy bear wearing a lab coat – into the sky.

The team spent 60 days drafting, adjusting equipment, and making a temperature control system. To ensure the teddy bear lands on a flat area away from airports and urban areas, they decided to launch it at the border between Liaoning province and Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

After making sure that all processes compliant with regulations, they drove to the destination. The launch didn't go as smoothly as they expected, but they managed to tackle all problems and launch the teddy bear into the air using 5.4 cubic meters of helium.

The teddy bear floated for an hour and a half to reach a height of 28,000 meters, and then landed in a paddy field.

The camera on the teddy bear recorded the whole process. Li made a short video about the project, which has become popular on China's social media platforms.

"Thanks to UNNC's open, inclusive and diverse environment, we can be as imaginative as we want and realize our potential," said Li.