Touch the Space
Physics Project on the Edge of Space
Students of the MICHAEL Grammar School have participated in the national project Dotkni se vesmíru (Touch the Space), realized in cooperation with the STEAM Academy and the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute. The essence of the activity is the practical application of the STEAM methodology, in which students collaborate on launching their own stratospheric probe to an altitude of up to 37 kilometers.
It is not a simulation, but a real scientific experiment: from programming the modular probe and measuring physical quantities in real-time to capturing unique visual documentation of the Earth from the edge of space. And this is exactly the project that the students of our grammar school have undertaken!
Mission Objectives
The primary task of the entire team was the technical support and subsequent analysis of data from the probe's measuring payload. During the flight, key physical quantities—temperature, atmospheric pressure, and air humidity—were monitored in relation to the current altitude and GPS position.
All data were stored on an internal medium in real-time and simultaneously transmitted in the 433 MHz radio band to ground stations. In addition to collecting telemetric data, the probe captured a continuous video recording and timelapse photographs, which document the course of the flight until the moment of landing.
This practical experience provided the students with a comprehensive insight into the issues of stratospheric experiments, from battery management to searching for the module in the field using signaling.
From Preparation to Successful Landing
The entire project took place in an intensive one-month cycle, which kicked off on March 18th with a preparatory phase directly on the school premises. Students dedicated themselves to programming the transmitting and receiving parts and constructing the probe's chassis for the secure housing of the motherboard and camera.
After a month of fine-tuning and testing, the official launch followed on April 17th from Prague-Libuš. Here, under supervision, the students completed the assembly of both software and hardware and secured the probe to a hydrometeorological balloon.
The demanding mission was successfully completed with a field search near Tábor, where the probe safely landed after reaching the stratosphere and its subsequent descent.
Shots from the pobe
