Three Estes Park High School students in Todd Burke's scientific engineering and research class watched their radiation-measuring device sail high into the air on Feb. 13.
SophomoreLevi Carpman and juniors Ben Switzer and Colin Soguero proposed their idea for the device to Edge of Space Sciences (EOSS) in August. EOSS is a Denver-based nonprofit organization that promotes science and education by exploring frontiers in amateur radio and high altitude balloons.
The EPHS students' project was included on EOSS' Feb. 13 CU Boulder and STEM School launch, which took place at Eaton High School. EOSS weather balloons rise deep into the stratosphere, usually reaching 95,000 feet, according to the EOSS website.
Tucked in a compact, insulation foam casing, the students attached a Geiger counter, which measures radiation; a small video camera to record the journey and a heat source to keep all components warm.
"It can be as cold as -50 degrees that high in the atmosphere," Carpman said.
The data recorded from the Geiger counter transferred to an SD card installed in the device, according to Switzer. A fellow student suggested the team make the casing look like R2-D2, so the students stuck with that "Star Wars" theme.
"Radiation increased greatly until it got up to 65,000 feet," Soguero added.
The students' teacher was impressed with their efforts.
"One of the reasons projects like this are rare in high schools has to do with the caliber of character required to take on a this type of challenge. Not everyone is up to it," Burke said. "This project presented multiple limitations: the temperature of the upper troposphere, the minimum temperature required for the onboard electronics to function, the forces and potential violence to which the capsule containing the Geiger counter may be subjected, the maximum amount our payload could weigh, among others.
Burke, along with Carpman, Switzer and Soguero expressed many thanks to the volunteers that pitched in to help them get their project off the ground - literally - including Jim Webb, Doug Tabor, David Cressy, Glenn Hetchler and Jim Langsted.
The students started building a prototype of their device back in December. It was a bit of a trial and error process, and modifications had to be made before the final project was complete.
"It was a great experience overall," Soguero added. "It was a long process, but it was worth it."
The students are in the process of making a video to sum up the project and hope to have it posted online soon.
"As with many achievements, the moment I realized that their mission had succeeded I was filled with a mixture of wonder, pride and sadness," Burke said. "I felt awe for how far they had come, wanted to brag to everyone about what they accomplished (knowing that they were too humble), and simultaneously morned ending of a wonderful little project, which I'll never forget."