Stratospheric balloon launched in Minho
"LIP Minho was involved in the development of small electronics projects and in the launch of one more stratospheric balloon in collaboration with the Joane Secondary School. Once again, recovering the device was an adventure!"
Over the past three weeks, LIP-Minho, and in particular Henrique Carvalho, has been supporting the construction of Arduino-based electronic devices by 12th grade students from the Padre Benjamim Salgado Secondary School, in Joane, Vila Nova de Famalicão.
Besides the development of multiple small projects, this partnership culminated with the launch of a stratospheric balloon. The LIP “box”, already used in previous launches, included UV radiation and particle sensors programmed by the students.
The balloon rose to an incredible 29 km in altitude. However, the direction and intensity of the winds made it fall already in the sea, off the coast of Póvoa de Varzim.
Fortunately, it was possible to set in motion a rescue plan, carried out by Instituto de Socorros a Náufragos (ISN). They managed to recover all the equipment launched in the balloon!
We would like to thank teacher Filipe Lima, from the Padre Benjamim Salgado school, IST engineers Dário Silva and Diogo Henriques, who launched the balloon, and specially the ISN team who rescued the devices!
Launch video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TN7DlitqzeA
Website showing the data collected as a function of time (in real time during the flight): https://wminho.lip.pt/uploader/balloon/4
Student projects
Lauch
Rescue
