ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Students from three Albuquerque schools are preparing to launch their solar high-altitude balloons into the stratosphere with the help of Sandia National Laboratories volunteers and the nonprofit, Science Heads.
Science Heads aims to raise STEM literacy by inspiring students to apply what they have learned in the classroom to design and build large solar-powered balloons equipped with scientific experiments. These balloons are launched into the earth’s atmosphere, where they face extreme temperatures, pressures and conditions.
Dan Small, a researcher with Sandia’s Unmanned Aerial Systems Unit, started the Science Heads New Mexico chapter in 2024 after a chance meeting with the nonprofit’s executive director, Richard Stember, at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
“He described the high-altitude balloon experiments he had conducted with schools in Southern California, and it sounded like a great way to engage kids in New Mexico in some big science,” Small said.
Five other Sandia employees and two Sandia retirees jumped on board to help the effort. “Serving the community in volunteer STEM outreach roles is something many of my colleagues and I have done for years. We really enjoy seeing the kids learn something completely new and participate in experiential science activities they can take ownership of,” said Small.
Dan and the Science Heads Sandia team have spent the last month helping students build 20-foot-tall high-altitude balloon envelopes powered by the sun. These balloons will be launched on May 9 at Balloon Fiesta Park.
This year, the Science Heads New Mexico chapter received $8,000 from the National Technology and Engineering Solutions of Sandia grant program for materials and supplies. In 2024 the NTESS program contributed $1.5 million on behalf of Sandia National Laboratories to the local community, including $621,000 to support educational programs.
To date, the New Mexico chapter of Science Heads has brought the high-altitude balloon program to four middle schools and two high schools in the metro area.
Media are invited to attend the May 9 balloon launch.
This Sandia National Laboratories news article "Sandians prep students for solar high-altitude balloon launch" was originally found on https://www.sandia.gov/news/
