Advertisement
  • National News
  • State News
  • Contact Us
Subscribe for $2.50/month
Print Editions
Pocahontas Times
  • News Sections
    • Local
    • Sports
    • A&E
  • Obituaries
  • Community
  • Magistrate News
    • Circuit Court News
  • Compass
  • Spiritual
    • Parabola
    • Transcendental Meditation
    • Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston
    • Southern Baptist
  • Pocahontas County Veterans
  • etimes
  • Classifieds
  • Login
  • FAQ
No Result
View All Result
Pocahontas Times
No Result
View All Result
Print Editions
Pocahontas Times
No Result
View All Result

Green Bank student scientists launch massive balloon for Airborne Experiments

May 18, 2022
in Headline News
0
0
SHARES
46
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Jill Malusky
GBO Information Officer

Budding scientists in Green Bank will embark on a new mission this week. Students in Julie Brown’s seventh grade class have planned extensively to launch a 12-foot diameter, high altitude helium balloon to conduct several scientific experiments. 

Like a rocket ship, the balloon carries a “payload” of equipment to record data and track its location, including a Raspberry Pi computer. Two external video cameras will capture the “balloon’s eye view,” pointing at the ground below and horizontally across the sky. The balloon may soar to heights that cross the paths of planes, so it carries a radar reflector to alert them of its presence. When the balloon reaches a specific altitude, it will burst. At this height, the cameras will record the curvature of the earth. A parachute will control the speed of the payload when it descends.

The student scientists will use the Raspberry Pi computer to measure air pressure, temperature, humidity, and GPS coordinates for the duration of the mission, along with a camera to record video. This data will show what happens during the flight, and for experiments during and after the mission. Student-designed experiments in the payload will use photo-sensitive paper, marshmallows, rubber balls, and bubble wrap. 

The dramatic launch will take place on the field outside the Green Bank Elementary-Middle School, so all students can watch. Like a NASA mission, every moment of the balloon’s rise and fall will be tracked. In these ascent and descent phases, a SPOT Tracker™ will record this data, sending the geographical coordinates via satellite every few minutes.

These student scientists peered into the future using prediction software, which considers the size and weight of the balloon, its lift, launch location, and weather to predict where the balloon should land. The weather must be just right for the mission to succeed. Strong winds could whisk the balloon into surrounding states, too far to be retrieved.

The balloon’s final location will be communicated to a chase team via ham radio, who will drive to the projected landing site to intercept the payload. After recovery, the unopened payload will be returned to the school where the students will observe first-hand the results of their experiments and videos.

Many people and organizations came together to make this project possible including seventh grade teacher Julie Brown; student Max O’Ganian; volunteer Rudy Marrujo and the 8 Rivers Amateur Radio Club; the Durbin Lions Club; Green Bank Elementary-Middle School PTO; and the Green Bank Observatory and staff including Marty Bloss, Paul Marganian and Amanda White.

Subscribe to our newsletter.

Enter your email address to weekly notifications.

You will receive a confirmation email for your subscription. Please check your inbox and spam folder to complete the confirmation process.
Some fields are missing or incorrect!
Lists
Previous Post

Ball guest speaker at Memorial Day event in Arbovale

Next Post

With dilapidated structures gone, property values increase

Next Post
With dilapidated structures gone, property values increase

With dilapidated structures gone, property values increase

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

ADVERTISEMENT
  • News Sections
  • Obituaries
  • Community
  • Magistrate News
  • Compass
  • Spiritual
  • Pocahontas County Veterans
  • etimes
  • Classifieds
  • Login
  • FAQ
Call us: 304-799-4973

  • Login
Forgot Password?
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address. You will receive a link to create a new password via email.
body::-webkit-scrollbar { width: 7px; } body::-webkit-scrollbar-track { border-radius: 10px; background: #f0f0f0; } body::-webkit-scrollbar-thumb { border-radius: 50px; background: #dfdbdb }
No Result
View All Result
  • News Sections
    • Local
    • Sports
    • A&E
  • Obituaries
  • Community
  • Magistrate News
    • Circuit Court News
  • Compass
  • Spiritual
    • Parabola
    • Transcendental Meditation
    • Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston
    • Southern Baptist
  • Pocahontas County Veterans
  • etimes
  • Classifieds
  • Login
  • FAQ