Using Weather Balloons for Science Fair Projects

Written by: Sky Probe

Weather balloons are an exciting way for kids to get into science, using real hands-on experience to demonstrate practical concepts. You need to carefully plan for the launch of the balloon, and you will need to purchase some equipment, but you can record data about the flight. You can even capture pictures from the Earth’s stratosphere, making for an intriguing presentation about the Earth’s atmosphere. Here is what you need to know to launch your next experiment.

Equipment

Ordering a high altitude balloon kit from a trusted source, Sky-probe.com, allows you to outfit your launch with important components for logging data about the journey. You can purchase everything you need to tie a payload to your balloon, including a camera so you can take near-space pictures. You will also want a GPS data logger, which will track the distance your balloon travels and the heights it reaches. You can even gather data about atmospheric conditions from high above the Earth.

Launch Day

On the day of your launch, or even a few days before, you should begin making the preparations to launch. You will need to fill your balloon with either hydrogen or helium, and make sure that your payload is secure. Choose a wide open space to launch, and allow yourself plenty of time to set up any other recording equipment on the ground. Try to get shots of filling the balloon, and shots of it on lift off. Splice these shots together on your computer to form a demo reel of the launch.

Payload

The payload carries everything you need to record data and snap photos. It can also carry small objects, like an action figure or some other keepsake. You may need to attach an arm to your payload, so you can balance the rest of your payload on your weather balloon securely.

Gathering Data

Your data logger will begin gathering information from the moment you switch it on, so be sure to do a dry run first. You can easily pull the data gathered to your computer, and organize it into a spreadsheet where you can track all sorts of figures related to your launch.

Final Thoughts

Launching a weather balloon requires a lot of preparation. You must also retrieve your payload if you hope to gather any meaningful data from the flight. You will need to read that data and do some filming, but you can gather more than enough for a sleek presentation during your next science fair project.