Student experiments have ranged from giving simple temperature and pressure
telemetry to gas sampling and even solar telescopes. Many student groups have
gained valuable knowledge simply by participating in EOSS launch, telemetry,
and direction finding tracking activities. Its members have conducted classroom
presentations that range from short briefings to day-long seminars. Many hours
are devoted to helping students to prepare their payloads for launch. EOSS has
also provided its operational skills to several organizations engaged in scientific
research including the NOAA Forecast Systems Lab and the Mars Microballoon
Project developed by JPL.
10.2.5 New Mexico State University
In addition to its long-term support contract to CSBF (described earlier) NMSU
continues to support STEM education related to balloons and sponsors projects
with students. For example, a team of students and faculty members launched a
high altitude balloon on August 21, 2017 for a nationwide project sponsored by
NASA to live-stream aerial video footage of the “Great American Eclipse.”
The team launched the roughly 2.4 m (8 ft) tall, helium balloon carrying a video
camera and other equipment to an altitude of up to 30 km (100,000 ft) from the
Homestead National Monument of America in Beatrice, Nebraska. Live footage
from the camera was available for public viewing on a NASA sponsored website.
The NMSU team was just one of 55 teams from across the country provided
live-stream footage of the total solar eclipse. According to one researcher, the
project was unprecedented because broadcasting live video of the total solar
eclipse from high altitude had never been done.
The nature of such a project also offers an invaluable opportunity for the students to translate their skills and knowledge into a real world application.
Sten Hasselquist, an astronomy doctoral student and member of the team stated,
“This is an outreach event of epic proportion. I am learning many practical skills
that I can apply to future jobs. My participation in this project supported by New
Mexico Space Grant will make me a more attractive job applicant, and I will be
able to continue my career as an astronomer.”
Norann Calhoun, a chemical engineering major on the team said, “I hope that
the data received from these experiments will allow for further advancements in
the space industry. This project has helped me expand my resume and has furthered my knowledge of the industry. I look forward to applying to jobs in the
industry when I graduate so that I’m able to continue on the wonderful path that
the New Mexico Space Grant has opened to me.”
In addition to a video camera, the team’s balloon had a GPS tracking system, a
camera to capture still images of the eclipse, and a secondary payload consisting of
a heat exchanger with wavy channels to increase the efficiency of propellants. Once
the eclipse was finished, the balloon popped and its payloads parachuted to Earth.
10.2 Examples of Balloon Education Programs 243
telemetry to gas sampling and even solar telescopes. Many student groups have
gained valuable knowledge simply by participating in EOSS launch, telemetry,
and direction finding tracking activities. Its members have conducted classroom
presentations that range from short briefings to day-long seminars. Many hours
are devoted to helping students to prepare their payloads for launch. EOSS has
also provided its operational skills to several organizations engaged in scientific
research including the NOAA Forecast Systems Lab and the Mars Microballoon
Project developed by JPL.
10.2.5 New Mexico State University
In addition to its long-term support contract to CSBF (described earlier) NMSU
continues to support STEM education related to balloons and sponsors projects
with students. For example, a team of students and faculty members launched a
high altitude balloon on August 21, 2017 for a nationwide project sponsored by
NASA to live-stream aerial video footage of the “Great American Eclipse.”
The team launched the roughly 2.4 m (8 ft) tall, helium balloon carrying a video
camera and other equipment to an altitude of up to 30 km (100,000 ft) from the
Homestead National Monument of America in Beatrice, Nebraska. Live footage
from the camera was available for public viewing on a NASA sponsored website.
The NMSU team was just one of 55 teams from across the country provided
live-stream footage of the total solar eclipse. According to one researcher, the
project was unprecedented because broadcasting live video of the total solar
eclipse from high altitude had never been done.
The nature of such a project also offers an invaluable opportunity for the students to translate their skills and knowledge into a real world application.
Sten Hasselquist, an astronomy doctoral student and member of the team stated,
“This is an outreach event of epic proportion. I am learning many practical skills
that I can apply to future jobs. My participation in this project supported by New
Mexico Space Grant will make me a more attractive job applicant, and I will be
able to continue my career as an astronomer.”
Norann Calhoun, a chemical engineering major on the team said, “I hope that
the data received from these experiments will allow for further advancements in
the space industry. This project has helped me expand my resume and has furthered my knowledge of the industry. I look forward to applying to jobs in the
industry when I graduate so that I’m able to continue on the wonderful path that
the New Mexico Space Grant has opened to me.”
In addition to a video camera, the team’s balloon had a GPS tracking system, a
camera to capture still images of the eclipse, and a secondary payload consisting of
a heat exchanger with wavy channels to increase the efficiency of propellants. Once
the eclipse was finished, the balloon popped and its payloads parachuted to Earth.
10.2 Examples of Balloon Education Programs 243