Stars

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1bedAFWW3R6XijvhqfZo8_RMTwMkc3BRR?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-RWYlf4gGTQ1-s11sphZpvWNUP5QqU9G?usp=sharing

High-altitude balloons are unmanned balloons that are used as research balloons, for educational purposes, and by hobbyists, NASA, and other space agencies also use high-altitude balloons because they are relatively cheap and very effective. Common uses include meteorology, atmospheric and climate research, collection of imagery from near space, amateur radio applications, and submillimeter astronomy.

In this project, we created a comprehensive lesson plan to teach people how to build and launch a high-altitude balloon. The lesson plan includes a general explanation of what a high-altitude balloon is, the components needed to make a functioning high-altitude balloon and where to get them for low prices, preparation before the launch, and how to retrieve the balloon.

Let’s start with the needed components.

We began by discussing the many types of balloons available, including those made of plastic, such as those used by NASA, and weather balloons made of latex, such as the one we used and which are frequently used by individuals to launch a high-altitude balloon.

Then, we discussed balloon sizes, what are the recommended ones for beginners, and what are the differences between the numerous available sizes, and what led us to choose the 1200 g size at the end.

Second, we discussed and explained the payload, which includes a number of components such as the Tracker, Radar Reflector, Parachute, and Payload Box.

We started discussing the tracker, what do we use it for, and the options we recommend, and why. Then we went over the radar reflector and its uses and the option we recommend, then the parachute and how to calculate the size of the parachute needed depending on your balloon and payload. Then we listed all the prices and places to get the components from.

After that, we went over the gas, we did a thorough comparison between helium and hydrogen and the pros and cons of each one, and how to calculate the needed amount of gas according to your balloon, payload, and positive lift.

Finally, we went over the five steps of launching a high-altitude balloon in detail, which include payload preparation, determining the launch site, determining the launch day and time to be on a day with good weather, launching the balloon, and tracking the payload, retrieving the payload.

https://youtu.be/TdomWPu8cvg

In this video, we gathered some information about the problem and the essential elements that would assist us to tackle the challenge when we first started working on this project.

https://www.nasa.gov/scientificballoons

We observed genuine models comparable to our project, learned to compare the different sizes of balloons, and everything about building and launching the balloon.

https://www.csbf.nasa.gov/balloons.html

We used this site to learn about the process of choosing a launch site for the balloon. Understand the many types of balloons.

https://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/technology/explorers_balloons.html

This site has taught us more about other people’s experience in building and launching a high-altitude balloon, what happens to the balloon as it rises into the stratosphere.

http://wyomingspacegrant.org/balloonprogram/balloonlaunch101/

This site helped us in determining the needed materials, the cost of some of them. We also learned how to prepare the payload, how to choose the launch site and time, how to assemble and launch the balloon, how to track it, and how to retrieve the payload. 

In this year’s space apps, I learned a lot. Starting from problem-solving and project development and going over team and time management, and ending with research skills and prototyping. We chose this challenge because we found it fun, it was just like the projects in our school but with an added twist, which is to make a lesson plan, not just the balloon. We started doing our ordinary project work, which is to collect as much data as we could about high-altitude balloons, we divided concepts between us, hosted meetings to discuss information, and then started developing the lesson plan using the information we gathered. We actually faced many challenges in the making of this project, one of which is the lack of information about a lot of concepts, such as, calculating the needed amount of gas to fill the balloon, calculating the size of the parachute, and most of all, doing all of the work before the deadline, it was a tight journey that we all enjoyed.

http://spaceappsbenha.com/workshops/?i=1

https://youtu.be/EgBRShKzHNE

https://youtu.be/sDBEX6BD9Yk

http://predict.habhub.org/

http://wyomingspacegrant.org/balloonprogram/balloonlaunch101/

https://www.highaltitudescience.com/pages/balloon-performance-calculator

https://descentratecalculator.onlinetesting.net/

https://www.sparkfun.com/tutorials/187

https://youtu.be/TdomWPu8cvg

https://www.csbf.nasa.gov/balloons.html

https://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/technology/explorers_balloons.html

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/nasa-mission-will-study-the-cosmos-with-a-stratospheric-balloon/

#space #nasa #universe #astronomy #science #moon #stars #spacetravel #HAB #Canary

This project has been submitted for consideration during the Judging process.