He ain't heavy, he's my brother: Bloke gives away SpaceX ticket because he was over weight limit

Some out-of-this world generosity emerged out of Florida this week as it was revealed that one of the passengers on SpaceX's first space tourist flight in September was actually given his ticket by a friend.

Pals Kyle Hippchen, 43, and Chris Sembroski, 42, were roommates at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical College, The Guardian reports, where they were part of a space advocacy group and attended NASA shuttle launches.

When Shift4 Payments billionaire Jared Isaacman raffled off three seats on SpaceX's Inspiration4 mission, Hippchen bought $600 worth of entries and Sembroski about $50.

But it was data engineer Sembroski who ended up having his name engraved in history because the actual winner, Hippchen, checked the small print.

The winner had to be under 6ft 6in (198cm) and 250lb (113kg). Hippchen was 5ft 10in (178cm) and 330lb (149.6kg).

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"I was trying to figure out how I could drop 80lb [36kg] in six months, which, I mean, it's possible but it's not the most healthy thing in the world to do," said carrier pilot Hippchen.

Enquiring minds would also like to know how to do such a thing, preferably with as little effort as possible.

So Hippchen gave his fellow space nut the spot, who in return brought "his high school and college rings, his airline captain epaulets and a great-uncle's first world war Purple Heart" into orbit.

As he stood at the top of the launch tower before entering the Dragon Capsule, Sembroski called Hippchen to tell him he was "forever grateful."

Squad goals*. ®

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*"An inspirational term for what you'd like your group of friends to be or accomplish."