Soaring research balloon ascends to a peak of 35 kilometers above sea level from a high school institution.
High school students on Koblenzer Street embark on an ambitious project: On Monday, they launched a stratospheric balloon equipped with scientific instruments from the school grounds. The goal is to explore the peculiarities of our atmosphere, reaching heights of up to 35 kilometers.
The initiative originated from a team of 16 ninth and tenth graders, guided by dedicated teachers in the natural sciences. They spent countless hours tinkering with technology, constructing sensors, devising recovery plans, and documenting their findings. The Stratoflights team provided the school with the necessary materials and instruments for data collection in the stratosphere. The helium-filled weather balloon is equipped with a parachute, battery packs, data logger, GPS tracker, and a camera.
The project reflects an enthusiasm for science and technology, as it is part of MINT promotion efforts and under the patronage of the DLR School Lab. The high school on Koblenzer Street has been a hub for MINT education, regularly participating in competitions such as Jugend forscht, and promoting innovative project teaching.
Sascha Karolin Aulepp, the Senator for Children and Education, expressed his excitement about the project: "When students plan and execute their own research missions to the stratosphere, it demonstrates the achievements schools can accomplish today. Such projects are essential in inspiring future generations for science and technology."
Stratospheric balloon launches are popular MINT projects because they require knowledge in physics, engineering, data collection, and teamwork. The objective of such projects is to stimulate student interest in STEM fields.
The Stratoflights project, led by a dedicated team of ninth and tenth graders at the high school on Koblenzer Street, is a testament to the intersection of education-and-self-development and science, as they delve into STEM education by constructing a stratospheric balloon equipped with scientific instruments for learning about our atmosphere. The initiative, which reflects their enthusiasm for science and technology, aligns with MINT (Mathematics, Information Technology, Natural Sciences, and Technology) promotion efforts.
Sascha Karolin Aulepp, the Senator for Children and Education, admires the project's potential for inspiring future generations in science and technology, considering it an exemplary achievement in education-and-self-development and STEM education, particularly in the realm of stem-education.
