Past projects
Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project
The Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project (NEBP) aims to expand STEM participation by engaging student teams from diverse higher education institutions in a NASA-style mission focused on data collection and analysis via high-altitude ballooning. This initiative coincided with the annular solar eclipse on October 14, 2023, and the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024.
Coordinated by the Montana Space Grant Consortium, NEBP supported 53 teams consisting of more than 750 students, organized into nine regional pods. The Consortium provided essential infrastructure, tools, and best practices to foster collaboration among institutions—partnerships that are expected to extend beyond the project’s duration.
NEBP features two learner-centered tracks:
- Engineering Track: Teams deploy advanced balloon systems to live-stream eclipse footage to NASA’s website, monitor atmospheric changes, and conduct custom experiments.
- Atmospheric Science Track: Teams launch hourly radiosondes on helium-filled weather balloons to collect atmospheric data.
Arizona teams participated in the Engineering Track.
NEBP Overview Video External Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPmOyvJ0tvY&t=9s
Arizona Eclipse Ballooning Team’s NEBP Project
Arizona South Team Mission
Arizona State University (ASU), the University of Arizona (UA), and Casa Grande Union High School (CGUHS) collaborated to design and launch a high-altitude balloon system. Their mission focused on:
- Enhancing launch logistics
- Improving video streaming capabilities
- Designing and testing 3D-printed payload housings
- Engaging the public through outreach and social media
Launch Logistics
Arizona NEBP participants traveled to Roswell, NM for the annular eclipse and Carrizo Springs, TX for the total eclipse. Teams camped for 3–4 days at strategic locations based on flight predictions before, during, and after totality.
Payload and Ground Station
Housings for all payload systems were 3-D printed except the Raspberry Pi camera system. ASU developed the Iridium housing using Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) and Polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PET-G) filaments to withstand potential high-velocity crashes. UA developed the RFD900 and PTERODACTYL housings using PET-G filament and Polyethylene foam (pool noodles). Due to weight and time constraints, Extruded Polystyrene (XPS) was used for the Raspberry Pi camera system housing.
ASU’s ground station team optimized the network stability and performance of the Ubiquiti long-range radio system by diagnosing and troubleshooting network parameters during extensive testing, making use of a Ubiquiti WiFiMan Wizard.
In addition to science goals, the team focused on social media and outreach initiatives, aiming to connect with a diverse audience ranging from high schools and universities to the general public. NEBP was showcased to students and attendees from various institutions, including Eastern New Mexico University (Roswell), ASU Prep College and Career Fair, ASU Space Business Association, ASU Astronomy Club, Joliet Township High School, and Casa Grande Union High School. The culmination of efforts produced a successful Annular Solar Eclipse viewing party and launch live-streaming event on ASU’s Tempe Campus, hosted in partnership with the School of Earth and Space Exploration (SESE) outreach team.
This project was coordinated in conjunction with Arizona Near Space Research (ANSR). ANSR is a 501(c)(3) organization that promotes science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) through Amateur Radio and High-Altitude Balloons (ARHAB). ANSR has partnered with the Arizona Space Grant Consortium on the ASCEND project since 2005 and eclipse ballooning projects in 2017, 2023 and 2024. ANSR members lead the team payload review on the evening before the launch as well as providing the materials and expertise for successful launch and recovery.
Arizona State University
- Jacqueline Do – Student Team Lead
- Megan Miller
- Courtney Banks
- Tyler Derrick
- Everett Moore
- Imaan Ahmed
- Emily Ottesen
- Ricardo Ontiveros
- Muhammed Topiwala
- Cristo Lopez
- Dr. Thomas Sharp – Faculty Lead
University of Arizona
- Sarina Blanchard
- Colin Brown
- Andrew Kwolek
- Razak Adamu
- Vai Pujary
- Dr. Steve Kortenkamp – Faculty Lead
- Michelle Coe – AZ Space Grant Program Manager
Casa Grande Union High School
- Landri Howard
- Emily Geen
- John Morris – Faculty Lead
Phoenix CubeSat Mission
Led by the Sun Devil Satellite Laboratory (SDSL)
Funded by NASA
Overview
The Phoenix CubeSat Mission represents a milestone in student-led aerospace innovation at Arizona State University (ASU). Developed by the Sun Devil Satellite Laboratory (SDSL) and fully funded by NASA, this mission centered around the design, construction, and deployment of a 3U CubeSat to study the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect in major U.S. cities, with a primary focus on Phoenix, Arizona.
Mission Development
The CubeSat was developed during the 2016–2017 academic year, integrating coursework and research across multiple disciplines. Students from engineering, science, urban planning, design, and journalism collaborated to bring the mission to life. The satellite was engineered to collect thermal data from urban environments, providing insights into:
- The health impacts of elevated urban temperatures
- Environmental consequences of urban heating
- Broader implications of climate change
Launch and Deployment
The Phoenix CubeSat was launched aboard an Antares II rocket from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility as part of a Cygnus resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS). In early 2020, the CubeSat was successfully deployed into Low Earth Orbit (LEO), marking ASU’s first student-built and student-led satellite in space.
Team and Collaboration
The Phoenix Mission was a collaborative effort involving over 100 students, faculty, and researchers from across ASU. Key contributors included:
- Dr. Judd Bowman – Principal Investigator
- Dr. Danny Jacobs – Faculty Mentor
- Sarah Rogers – Student Engineering Team Vice President
- Jaime Sanchez de la Vega, Vivek Chacko, and many others
Participating academic units:
- School of Earth and Space Exploration
- Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering
- School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning
- Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts
- Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication
This interdisciplinary approach not only advanced the technical success of the mission but also fostered a rich educational experience for all involved.
Legacy and Impact
The Phoenix CubeSat Mission stands as a testament to the power of student innovation and cross-disciplinary collaboration. It has paved the way for future satellite missions at ASU and contributed meaningful data to the study of climate change and urban sustainability.
