LIP stratospheric balloon measures cosmic radiation at almost 30 km altitude
"The LIP4Schools activity was part of the 9th Telescope Gathering in Moimenta da Beira"
A scientific balloon equipped with cameras, sensors, GPS and a Geiger counter from LIP was launched into the skies above Moimenta da Beira during the 9th Telescope Gathering, held from 15 to 17 May. The experiment, part of the LIP4Schools project, brought together teams from LIP and several other institutions in an activity inspired by Victor Hess’s balloon flights, which led to the discovery of cosmic rays in the early 20th century and to the 1936 Nobel Prize in Physics.
“LIP4Schools aims to give students direct contact with scientific practice. In this experiment, concepts such as cosmic radiation, altitude and particle detection are no longer just classroom topics: they become something that can be built, measured and discussed using real data,” explains Filipe Lima, a secondary-school Physics and Chemistry teacher and co-coordinator of the LIP4Schools project.
During the flight, data were collected on temperature, atmospheric pressure, ultraviolet radiation and the rate of ionising particles. The balloon reached a maximum altitude of almost 30 km after around two and a half hours of flight, before the expansion of the helium caused it to burst. The scientific payload then returned to the surface by parachute, landing in Fuentes de Masueco, Spain, where it was recovered by the team.
“It is an experiment that looks simple, but is very complete from an experimental point of view, as it combines particle detection, environmental sensors, GPS, communications and the analysis of real data,” says Raul Sarmento, a LIP researcher and co-coordinator of LIP4Schools.
The activity had a strong collaborative component. The balloon and part of the instrumentation were developed by Instituto Superior Técnico, within the framework of the Balua project, while LIP provided the Geiger counter and a monitoring module capable of recording particle rate, altitude, humidity, ozone, atmospheric pressure and GPS coordinates.
The launch also served as a test for a broader scientific project planned for August, centred on the solar eclipse visible from Spain and involving Portuguese and Spanish teams. LIP4Schools, currently in its pilot phase, is working with four secondary schools, where students are developing instruments inspired by this type of experiment.
The 9th Telescope Gathering brought together 267 participants and 147 telescopes, with talks, astronomical observations and science outreach activities. The programme also included the participation of ESA’s João Lousada, through ESERO Portugal.