(CGUHS) CTE Engineering senior Emily Geen is pictured assembling the sensor package she designed for the Fall 2024 NASA/AZ ASCEND High Altitude Balloon payload. The sensor package includes devices to measure and record interior payload temperature, external temperature, pressure, altitude, humidity, UV-C, and includes a 3-axis magnetometer, a 3-axis accelerometer, and GPS. An oxygen sensor and an ozone sensor are planned to be included to record when the payload passes through the ozone layer, which is in the lower stratosphere. Emily also designed and implemented the power supply and power monitoring system. Software is written by CGUHS junior Ethan Morgan for the ATMega microcontroller. Additional instrumentation includes a 360° 4K video camera, a secondary 4k video camera, and an internal “nanny cam” to allow students to record what occurs in the interior of the payload during the flight. The cameras are managed by CGUHS freshmen Peyton Posey and Hailianna Rodgers.
The CGUHS payload will be launched on November 23 along with payloads from Arizona State University, University of Arizona, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Phoenix College, Pima College, Central Arizona College, and a few other colleges. The flight is expected to take about two (2) hours and reach an altitude of 100,000 feet. This will be the 8th high altitude balloon payload flight by CGUHS students over the past four (4) years. Students will retrieve their payload after the flight and perform an in-depth analysis of the data. They will present their project and conclusions in a break-out session at the NASA/AZ Space Grant Symposium at Arizona State University (ASU) in April 2025. In addition to their symposium presentation, the students research report will be published in the conference proceedings, along with those of Arizona graduate and undergraduate students who have received research grants from NASA.
CGUHS is a NASA/AZ Space Grant Affiliate. Participating students are registered in the NASA Gateway system and receive a scholarship from NASA through the National Space Grant Foundation for their participation in this project. Additionally, students who are U.S. citizens and have reached the age of 16 are eligible to apply for NASA Internships and Fellowships through this program.