Photos: Student-led high-altitude balloon experiment launches from CFHS in Tucson
The student astronomy group at Catalina Foothills High School sent their Falcon-5 high-altitude helium balloon probe aloft from the high school early Friday, March 10.
The experiment sends a cooler packed with a video camera and flight data recorder to 110,000 feet (the edge of space) to record position, altitude, speed, direction, humidity, dew point, atmospheric pressure and temperature. The package comes back to Earth in the afternoon between Benson and Willcox, where students retrieve it.
Students monitor atmospheric conditions prior to launch. Students call air traffic control at Tucson International Airport and Albuquerque Center regional air traffic control center to ensure the launch won't endanger any aircraft in the area.
The launch was sponsored by Catalina Foothills graduate Kameron Norwood, co-founder of PacDash, who was on-hand to watch the event.
Students let go of a Falcon-5 high-altitude balloon probe from Catalina Foothills High School in Tucson, early on March 10, 2023.
Launch sponsor Kameron Norwood and his family and friends watch the Falcon-5 balloon probe ascend from Catalina Foothills High School in Tucson, early on March 10, 2023
Students prep the Falcon-5 balloon probe launch for launch from Catalina Foothills High School in Tucson, early on March 10, 2023
Amber Ortiz, left, Anja Stoots, Emma Adams and Phoung Tran pack a small cooler with hand warmers, the data recorder and a video camera. The package hangs below the Falcon-5 balloon probe from Catalina Foothills High School in Tucson, early on March 10, 2023. The hand warmers keep the electronics warm at below freezing temperatures.
Kameron Norwood, left, co-founder of PacDash and a Catalina Foothills graduate who helped fund the launch, gets a peak at the ZLog-7 flight data recorder from physics teacher Michael Winters before the Falcon-5 balloon probe launch from Catalina Foothills High School in Tucson, early on March 10, 2023
Physics teacher Michael Winters unpacks the flight data recorder for the Falcon-5 balloon probe at Catalina Foothills High School in Tucson, early on March 10, 2023
Students troubleshoot an issue with the video camera shortly before launch of the Falcon-5 balloon probe from Catalina Foothills High School in Tucson, early on March 10, 2023
Connor Gillespie calls air traffic control at Tucson International Airport to confirm clear airspace prior to launch of the Falcon-5 balloon probe from Catalina Foothills High School in Tucson, early on March 10, 2023
Phoung Tran, left, and Emma Adams check atmospheric conditions prior to launch of the Falcon-5 balloon probe from Catalina Foothills High School in Tucson, early on March 10, 2023
The ZLog-7 flight data recorder is packed in a cooler that hangs below the balloon on the Falcon-5 balloon probe at Catalina Foothills High School in Tucson, early on March 10, 2023
Danielle Thomas, left, covers her face after a minor flub while rehearsing the call to Albuquerque Center Regional Air Traffic Control Center prior to launch of the Falcon-5 balloon probe from Catalina Foothills High School in Tucson, early on March 10, 2023. The actual call went off without a hitch.
Students hold Falcon-5 balloon probe while it fills with helium gas at Catalina Foothills High School in Tucson, early on March 10, 2023
Physics teacher Michael Winters seals up the Falcon-5 balloon after it was filled with helium gas prior to launch from Catalina Foothills High School in Tucson, early on March 10, 2023
The Falcon-5 balloon probe will ascend to nearly 110,000 feet altitude after launch from Catalina Foothills High School in Tucson, early on March 10, 2023
Rick Wiley
Photo editor
Rick Wiley is the photo editor of the Arizona Daily Star in Tucson. From 1995-2004, he was director of photography at the East Valley Tribune in Mesa. From 1988-94 he was a photographer at the Tucson Citizen. He is a graduate of ASU (yes, that ASU).
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