Science

Near Space Probe launched by the Peoria Amateur Radio Club

WCBU

Published April 27, 2015 at 9:23 AM CDT

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Instruments and experiments in the payload container prior to launch

Tom Hunt, Peoria Public Radio

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Washington Gifted School Students steady the balloon in windy conditions

Tom Hunt, Peoria Public Radio

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Chris Bock, Peoria Area Amateur Radio Club attaches the payload proir to launch

Tom Hunt, Peoria Public Radio

The High Altitude Balloon is released Friday afternoon

The Peoria Area Amateur Radio Club in partnership with the Washington Gifted School launched a high altitude balloon last week. The event was part of a worldwide balloon launch called the Global Balloon Challenge, using ham radio to transmit data to the ground.

The balloon launch was part of the Global Balloon Challenge sponsored by the Global Space Balloon Challednge organization. Fritz Bock of the Peoria club worked wtih 20-25 students in fifth through eighth grades as part of the Washington Gifted School Exploratory Program to design experiments and launch a hight altitude balloon. The class sessions centered on the physics of helium, the mechanics of a ballon launch and selection of student designed experiments.

Peoria Public Radio's Tom Hunt produced this report:

See more photos and videos of the launch as well as an on-board camera view of the trip. GO >>