High altitude balloon launch to be broadcast

A team of engineering students from the University of Southern Indiana are conducting a high altitude balloon flight on Saturday October 25, 2014, as part of the Engineering Design and Analysis, Senior Design, and Independent Study/Research classes.

The high altitude balloon consists of a helium-filled weather balloon carrying small pods which measure temperature inside and outside the balloon's thermal wake, a floater valve to allow one of the balloons to float at a constant altitude, and a pod to release a glider, which will fly with a live video feed. 

Students prepare the pods and plan flight operations as part of their class activities. On the day of the flight, students launch the balloon and pods from southern Illinois. The balloon typically ascends to 100,000 feet, where it bursts and students begin to track the pods in their chaotic descent earthward. Using GPS signals during a two and a half hour chase into southern Indiana, students recover the pods for later classroom analysis.

Students ran through the paces of preparing to "fly" a helium-filled weather balloon on the USI quad, October 6.

The mission objectives for this flight include measuring the temperature of the air outside of the thermal wake of the balloon, broadcasting live throughout the entire flight, capturing HD video footage, and tracking and recovering all balloon pods.

Watch a live video feed of the launch and recovery, and track the balloon in real time on launch day. Pre-launch coverage begins at 9:30 a.m. CDT.

For more information about the launch, contact Dr. Glen Kissel, associate professor of engineering, at 812-746-9981 or gkissel@usi.edu.