Thu, May 12, 2011
Experiments Will Be Carried To An Altitude Of 19 To 20
Miles
Four high school experiments will launch Thursday, May 19,
aboard a NASA helium weather balloon that will travel to the
stratosphere, a near-space environment 19 to 20 miles above sea
level. The high-flying event is scheduled for 1030 EDT at Wyandot
County Airport in Upper Sandusky, Ohio.
The high school student teams that designed the experiments will
attend the launch. They are the finalists in NASA's second
Balloonsat High-Altitude Flight competition. NASA's Glenn Research
Center in Cleveland hosts the national competition, which offers
high school students an opportunity to experience an authentic
flight mission from start to finish.
The selected teams and experiments are:
- Charlottesville High School, Charlottesville, Va. "The Effect
of Near-Space on Solar Powered Climate Control"
- Harding University High School, Searcy, Ark. "Measuring Gases
in the Atmosphere as a Function of Altitude"
- Neighborhood After-School Science Association, Ava, N.Y.
"Viability of Hydroponic Gardens in Near Space Conditions"
- North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, Durham, N.C.
"Variations in Energy Output of Solar Cells at Varying Altitudes
Compared to Weight and Cost"
Glenn scientists and engineers will evaluate each of the four
teams on active participation during the launch, research
presentations and written reports about the final results of their
experiments. The winning team will be announced on July 1 on the
Balloonsat website. In the fall, Glenn representatives will present
an award to the winners at their school.
Balloonsat and similar educational programs help NASA attract
and retain students in the areas of science, technology,
engineering and mathematics, or STEM. These disciplines are
critical to the agency's future programs and missions.
The Balloonsat High-Altitude Flight competition is sponsored by
Glenn's Educational Programs Office and is funded by the Teaching
From Space Office at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.
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