STRATOSTAR BLOG
Can I launch a weather balloon (11 things to know)
Launching a weather balloon can be intimidating as there are a lot of details to consider and regulations to follow to allow for safe operations and a successful mission. I have trained hundreds of educators and aerospace professionals to launch their own weather...
How long will a weather balloon stay in the air? ( #1 Mistake)
I have launched over 100 weather balloons all over the United States. One of the factors I have noticed for how long the weather balloon stays in the air is related to how much lifting gas is used compared to the payload weight being launched; this also leads to the...
How High Can A Balloon Go Before It Pops?
Just how high can weather balloons go before it pops? This is a popular question we hear daily and it’s a great one too. In the previous blog, “4 Weather Balloon Questions You May Not Know The Answer To” and "Weather Balloon Facts", we introduced why weather balloons...
Weather Balloon Facts
The weather balloon might be seen as an old-school technology, but with today’s modern electronics, rocket scientists only dream of the low-cost capabilities that these balloons have that can provide images of the world from above. I personally have launched over 100 of these weather balloons and I’ve trained hundreds of educators across the country to help them implement balloon programs within their core curriculum.
What Did You Dissect In School?
Did you dissect something when you were in school? Most of us can recall being asked to dissect a frog or worm when we were students. Some may have even worked on turtles, pigs, cats, or mice. For a long time dissecting real species was thought to be a necessary part...
Ethics in STEM Education
When elementary school students debate the pros and cons of zoos in America they’re learning about ethics in STEM education and the ethical dilemmas associated with scientific endeavors. They’re learning to think critically and use evidence in support of their...
Student Career Options: SpaceX
It is hard to overestimate the significance of the SpaceX Falcon Heavy test launch that occurred on February 6, 2018 and how it will affect the student career options and the industries our students will work in the future. Here’s how Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX,...
The Link Between STEM and Computer Science
At StratoStar, we talk about STEM education and STEM programming pretty frequently. We fully believe that by exposing students to science, technology, engineering, and math that we can positively impact their futures and the future of the world. But, one thing we...
5 Indoor Science Experiments to Try With Your Class
Science experiments are a great way to get students excited about science, but as the weather gets colder it can be a little difficult to conduct experiments. Unless you’re working in a lab, you may be limited on space and resources, which makes indoor experiments a...
How Much Weight Can A High Altitude Weather Balloon Carry?
Launching a weather balloon is an exciting time for students. As they work in groups to design an experiment and hypothesize about the effects near space will have on that experiment, certain questions are bound to come up. In past blog posts, we’ve tackled questions...
Why Students Should Engage in STEM Projects
STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) is a hot topic in education circles right now and for good reason! STEM is a movement designed to help prepare students for their future careers. As industries look for innovation in every corner, STEM projects...
CONSTRUCTIVISM AND STRATOSTAR STEM PROGRAMS: THE PERFECT MATCH
How do students engage with science learning in the classroom and the outside world? They learn through their own experiences. Constructivism is a theory about how people learn. It says that humans construct meaning about the world around them by experiencing things...
Update on the Google Lunar XPRIZE
“I think we should go first to the moon and then further on,” says Johann-Dietrich Worner, the Director General of the European Space Agency. The Google Lunar XPRIZE, a space race that we first reported on in March is still very much underway. The competition...
Where were you on August 21, 2017?
This summer teachers and students across the United States had the opportunity to witness an eclipse of the Sun. If you were lucky enough to be in the path of totality, which stretched from Salem, Oregon to Charleston, South Carolina, then you had the chance to...
How StratoStar Watched The Eclipse
Almost an entire month has passed since the eclipse happened, but the team at StratoStar is still on cloud nine. We loved sending two high altitude weather balloons to the edge of space during the event. Students from 25 different schools prepared experiments for the...
Weather Balloon Project Ideas for High Schoolers
Have you ever imagined what it would be like to soar to the edge of space? With a weather balloon project you can stop imagining and actually explore what the edge of space is like. When you work with the team at StratoStar, you can send an experiment you and your...
The Impact of High Altitude Science in the Classroom
As the new school year kicks off, you might be looking for new ways to get students involved and excited to learn. One of the best ways to get your students excited and interested in learning is by introducing high altitude science into your classroom. While you may...
Weather Balloon Tracker: How StratoStar Tracks Balloons
Have you ever dreamed of launching something to space or thought about what it would be like to travel to the edge of space yourself? With a high altitude weather balloon project you can do that! Well, part of that. We can’t actually send you to the edge of space, but...
High Altitude Science: What You Need to Know
If you’re wondering, “what is high altitude science?”, then you can breathe a sigh of relief because we’re going to explain what it is, why it’s important, and how you can start taking advantage of it with your students. What is high altitude science? At the heart of...
Project Based Learning Ideas for The Summer
Summer is in full swing and you’re looking for ways to keep your kids active and learning. The best way to do that is by taking full advantage of project based learning activities. These activities are hands-on and give kids practical knowledge that will be valuable...
How High Can Weather Balloons Go?
How cool would it be to watch a high-altitude weather balloon soar high up into the air with your classroom? The students would love designing their own experiment and watch as their work soared higher and higher. But, before you jump into this great project-based...
Weather Balloon Experiments for Your Classroom
High-altitude weather balloon experiments might seem like they are well outside of your realm of capabilities or needs, but the best part about them is they can be customized to fit your lessons. Whether your students are learning about chemistry, physics, or Earth...
High Altitude Science Experiments and Your Classroom
High altitude science experiments provide the perfect learning opportunity for your students. Not only will they get hands-on learning experiences, but they’ll actually get to touch an experiment that travels to the edge of space. How much will they love that?! Check...
StratoStar Tracks One of Our Longest Flights Yet!
Back in March, our StratoStar team was standing in Fort Wayne getting ready to launch a weather balloon to the edge of space. We worked with students at Blackhawk Middle School for weeks preparing for this exact moment. The students were excited as they said goodbye...
How Bear Grylls Turned Fear Into Tenacity
When you think about Bear Grylls, you probably picture him climbing a mountain, jumping out of an airplane, or even chopping his way through a jungle in South America. As an adventurer, he’s known for his television show about surviving in the wilderness, but he’s...
Could Rockoons Be The New Way to Space?
No, we didn’t make up the word rockoons and no, it has nothing to do with raccoons. Rockoons are actually a hybrid rocket balloon and they could end up being the new way we travel to space. The Problem With Today’s Rockets Rockets have become much more reliable in the...
The New Space Race
There’s a new space race and we all need to be paying attention to it. In recent years, we’ve seen private space exploration become a popular topic. With companies like SpaceX trying to successfully explore space as private citizens, it was only a matter of time...
What Did Scientists Discover By Landing On A Comet?
In 2004, the European Space Agency launched its Rosetta spacecraft into space. The purpose of the mission? Travel through space and orbit a comet to gather as much information as possible. After traveling through space for a decade, Rosetta finally reached its...
Space Exploration: Where’s The Nearest Planet Humans Can Live?
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to stand on the surface of another planet? To look up at a night sky and see a different view other than the one you see on Earth? Scientists as far back as Galileo have wondered the same things. Today, scientists are...
Explore Mars Like A NASA Scientists
Mars has been a hot topic in recent years. Everything from landing on the red planet to human habitation to alien life has been talked about. The scientists at NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory have been studying the planet since before 2012. One of the most exciting...
With A Little Creative Ingenuity and Code, Smartphones Become Powerful Sensors
Imagine sitting down to eat dinner and the table begins to shake. You can hear the glass in the kitchen clinking together. Then, your chair starts to shake and you know exactly what’s happening: an earthquake. Now, imagine before the shaking begins, your phone starts...
Smart Boulders: Tracking The Movements of Abyssal Plain
Right now, more than 400,000 cubic feet of sediment could be hurtling along an underground canyon. With speeds reaching over 8 meters per second (which is almost 18 miles per hour), theses underwater avalanches often go unnoticed until the sediment settles or unless...
This Father Used Science & Technology To Paint A Unicorn For His Daughter
Mihkel Joala had a problem. He didn’t know how to draw, and his daughter wanted a beautiful picture of a pink unicorn on her wall. Not everyone has an inner Pablo Picasso, so Mihkel had to turn to his inner Thomas Edison and invent a solution. He used a Wii controller...
Next Generation Science Standards & StratoStar
The next generation science standards are designed to improve science education through a three-dimensional learning process. These science content standards set expectations for what students should know and be able to do. The idea behind the next generation science...
Learning From Failure: How A Failed Mars Landing Sparked Innovation
Last month, a European probe called Schiaparelli crashed into the surface of Mars. The probe’s descent to the surface of Mars didn’t exactly go how scientists wanted it to. The retrorockets, which are designed to slow the descent, only fired for a few seconds rather...
Seadrones: Drones Are Taking To The Sea
Just as we’ve gotten used to drones flying overhead and the idea of autonomous, self-driving cars, another new and revolutionary technology is making a splash. Water drones, known as seadrones are already in the works and may soon be patrolling oceans and other bodies...
Pedaling Power: Helping Students Concentrate
When it comes to helping students stay focused in the classroom, teachers have come up with all kinds of solutions. Everything from recesses to project-based learning, the ideas are creative and inventive. But, what if the real solution comes with two pedals?...
Light Pollution and the Loss of Stargazing
Have you ever stepped out of your house at night expecting to see the sky filled with stars only to be met with an empty sky? Better yet, have you ever traveled in the western US and seen hundreds upon hundreds of stars filling the sky? If you answered yes to either...
Project Based Learning: Inspiring Students This Fall
Getting students excited about learning can be difficult, especially during the first few months of school. Students are still thinking about their summer vacation and starting to countdown the days to the next break. The good news is, there are plenty of great ways...
Project-Based Learning: A Student’s Perspective
As educators, we often forget about the perspective of the student. It’s easy to get wrapped up in State Standards, test scores, and lesson planning. But, what happens when we stop and take a look at the real impact of project-based learning on a student? The Modern...
Deep Space: Still Discovering the Effects of Space On the Body
Since before the Apollo astronauts first took a step on the moon, mankind has been fascinated with exploring space and the stars. Since the early days of hypothesising and staring at wide open fields of stars, we’ve been jumping at the chance to jet off into the deep...
NASA’s Jupiter Mission and What It Means
NASA recently launched a probe that is set to orbit around Jupiter for 20 months. The goal of the Juno spacecraft, the space probe that was launched for the Jupiter mission, is to study the planet’s charged particle radiation belts and as much of the planet’s gasses...
Mapping the Ocean Floor Like It Was The Moon Or Mars
Ocean experts at the General Bathymetric Chart of the Ocean have called for maps of the ocean floor to be made much like those of the Moon and Mars have been. Unlike the surface of those planetary bodies, much of Earth’s ocean floor hasn’t been mapped. In fact, large...
Rising Sea Levels: What’s Causing the Oceans to Expand
The Earth’s oceans have been rising over the last few years at a much higher rate. They’ve been expanding and growing to almost the point of worry. Scientists predict that coastal towns and entire islands could find themselves underwater, eventually. The only hope we...
5 Project-Based Learning Ideas for Your Classroom
As an educator, you know how difficult it can be to get students excited about learning. Students aren’t always interested in subjects like math and science, but it’s important for them to understand the basics, even if they have more interest in other subjects like...
High Altitude Science: Why Haven’t We Put an Astronaut on Mars?
High altitude science projects have come a long way since the early days of space exploration. Mankind has landed on the moon, orbited the earth, sent countless satellites through the deep unknowns of space, and even jumped from a weather balloon that rose up through...
Weather Balloons: How Do They Actually Work?
Weather balloons are high-altitude balloons that can be sent up into near-space to conduct experiments on atmospheric pressure, temperature, humidity, wind speeds and more. Today’s technology allows for easy tracking and customization when it comes to sending a...
Celebrate Earth Day with 12 Facts About Our Planet You Didn’t Know
The Earth has been captivating scientists and the general population for thousands of years. From studying its rotation around the sun to diving into the depths of the ocean, people have been exploring, researching, and hypothesising since the beginning of time. We’ve...
Project Based Learning | How Art Impacts STEAM
So, you think you’re an artist? You may not know it, but you’re probably also a scientist, mathematician, or engineer, too. Often times, these fields overlap in ways you don’t even realize. As an artist, you probably use math when you’re sketching out your next piece...
The STEAM Education Gap
For many years, people viewed it as the responsibility of the education system to cultivate an interest in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. However, as the STEAM education movement has grown and evolved, organizations all over the globe have...
Tracking A Weather Balloon
Tracking a weather balloon is tough even with the technology we have available to us today… but StratoStar has been working over the last 10 years to make it easier and more engaging for students, parents and the entire community. Our goal was to help these groups...
STEAM Education, Meet High Altitude Science
We all know that STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, math) education is on everyone’s radars. For teachers who are interested in project-based-learning and high altitude science, however, incorporating so many interests into one project can present a...
STEAM Education FAQ
You’ve probably been hearing about STEM for years, but what is this STEAM education business everyone is buzzing about? Are schools abandoning the STEM education model? What does STEAM have that STEM doesn’t… besides an extra letter? At StratoStar, we’ve been getting...
Weird Atmospheric Phenomena | High-Altitude Science
The atmosphere. You look straight through it more often than not. You know our atmosphere does a lot of important things - but our atmosphere does a lot more than protect us from harmful rays and space debris. Thanks to the five deep layers of atmosphere that surround...
Star Wars & High Altitude Science
For decades, people's minds have been captivated by the fantastical galaxy in the Star Wars films. In this completely foreign universe where the Force reigns supreme, anything seems possible. With the most recent release of Star Wars at the forefront of everyone's...
StratoStar Saves Christmas
Twas the week before Christmas and at StratoStar We were searching for Santa, we looked near and far... But we had a strange feeling St. Nick might not show. When up in the sky there arose such a clatter That sound sounded bad... but what was the matter? We looked up...
How To Foster An Interest In STEM At Home | Project-Based Learning
The federal government spends $4.3 billion a year on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education and training. In five years, there will be more than two times the number of STEM jobs there are now. In the next ten years, 80% of jobs will require...
Launch A Virtual Weather Balloon To The Edge Of Space
Drumroll, please… the team at StratoStar is so excited to announce that we have built a virtual weather balloon mission to space. We wanted people to see what project-based learning can be like and how it feels to be in command during a weather balloon project. Click...
5 Insane Athletic Technologies
Back in the day, it seemed like science teachers had to give athletes the hard sell on why their subjects were so cool. It’s nice to see that those days are long gone. Every year, millions of dollars are spent on scientific and technological advances for athletics....
StratoStar Students Help Parrot Fly To 96,000 Ft
The Carnegie Science Center (CSC) and StratoStar teamed up to launch a parrot to the edge of space. The Pirate Parrot, the mascot of the Pittsburgh Pirates, took a wild ride when a team of StratoStar students strapped him onto the payload of a weather balloon. The...
4 Questions People Are Asking About The Water On Mars
Everyone is excited about the potential implications of finding liquid water on Mars. Does this mean we can travel there soon? Could Mars actually sustain life? Has it done so in the past? After all of the press this discovery has received, there seem to be more...
5 Ways 3D Printing Is Helping Animals Across The Globe
There has been a lot of talk about the possibilities of 3D printing. While the future of 3D printing is still uncertain, this technology is already doing wonders. Here are some of the latest innovations that are helping animals all over the globe. Tieta was rescued...
Science and… Blue Jeans?
Jeans took the world by storm. The average American owns seven pairs of jeans, and Americans across the country will purchase a combined 450 million pairs of jeans this year. That's one popular pair of pants. You probably own several pairs yourself, but have you ever...
Join Mission Control
Imagine yourself, sitting in front of three glowing screens. Mission control. You’ve just watched the biggest launch in your life so far, and it was even more exhilarating that you could have ever expected. As soon as it disappeared into the blue, you ran back to...
Pluto: The Mysterious Dwarf Planet
Of course the Pluto fly-by has been one of the most talked-about news stories in a long time. Until this year, we have never seen photos of the dwarf planet that is 4.67 billion miles away. That’s nearly 30 times the distance from Earth to the sun. If you wanted to...
Forget Alien Planets. Here Come Alien Comets
Forget alien planets. Those of us that have exhausted ourselves trying every reasonable variation of the Drake Equation need to move on, right? Move over, alien planets, because alien comets are here. Two astronomers from the European Space Agency (ESA) believe that...
3 Ways to Quickly Incorporate Project Based Learning Into the Classroom
Teachers have a lot to do every day with their students. They need to make sure that the students have the basics down pat so that they can ace those important tests, and also graduate to the next grade. Project based learning is a great way to instill themes and...
How Can Gamification Help Learning?
Did you know that as a planet we spend over 3 billion hours a week playing video and computer games? What do you think is the draw for game playing? Most of the time we think that games are simply just a way to blow off steam, spend time with your friends and family,...
What is Project Based Learning?
Project Based Learning is a teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to a complex question, problem, or challenge. (BIE) In today’s world the job market and opportunities look very...
Students Launch Weather Balloon
On May 7, 2015 students from the Mary Institute and Saint Louis County Day School launched their weather balloon in Raymond Illinois after preparing for months through a project based learning program with Stratostar. The crew launched the balloon from Orchard Farms...
How to Get Girls More Interested in STEM Education
The president has recently announced to shake up the country's stalled wages by focusing on technology education. A disturbing and increasing trend has been occurring in the area of STEM education and careers in our country. American’s are seeing less and less...
What is the New Tech Initiative?
The president has recently announced to shake up the country's stalled wages by focusing on technology education. A disturbing and increasing trend has been occurring in the area of STEM education and careers in our country. American’s are seeing less and less...
A Mom’s Perspective on the Importance of STEM
As a parent I’m sure you think about your kid’s future like every day…like every second of every day. I know I do. I look around at how quickly the world is changing and see that technology is playing a huge role in how fast we are seeing advancement in all areas of...
Three Businesses that Support STEM education in Indiana
We have started seeing a trend where there are less students graduating in STEM related fields than other countries. In order to continue to grow and compete in the areas of Science, technology, engineering and math several companies, schools, have come together to...
The Secret Allies Keeping Our Planet Safe From Space Invaders
There are all kinds of dangerous, deadly entities trying to invade planet earth every minute of every day. No, we aren’t talking about aliens. The invaders in question include radioactive rays emitted by the sun and other stars in our galaxy, space debris, other...
Science Fiction Ideas That Came True
Thanks to many hardworking individuals in STEM fields, technology has come further than we could have ever imagined. For decades, movies and books alike have kept our imaginations alive with ideas. Here are some ideas from the world of science fiction that became...
The Real History Of Project-Based Learning
When teachers across America talk about the origins of Project-Based Learning, the name John Dewey often comes up. Dewey wrote a book in 1897 called “My Pedagogical Creed,” which outlined the concept of “learning by doing.” While many teachers embrace Dewey’s writings...
What Holiday Lights Look Like From Above | Light Pollution
Do you ever wonder what the United States looks like from above at night? With so many cars, bustling cities and street lights, our country gives off quite the glow… especially around the holidays. Most people have probably unplugged their lights from the holiday...
4 Weather Balloon Questions You May Not Know The Answer To
How useful are weather balloons? Weather balloons are important to our survival. One of the misconceptions about weather balloons is that they can only predict when it is going to rain. They are much more dynamic than that, though. Weather balloons help obtain data...
Why Teachers Should Be Excited for STEM Education
When faced with the challenge of overhauling your new classroom structure and working with a new lesson model, it’s easy to list off the many reasons to continue teaching as you’re used to. If you’re one of these teachers, then this post is for you. STEM education is...
STEM in the Homeschool
Every family has their own reasons for choosing to homeschool their children. For a lot of families, they choose homeschooling so that their children can have a more personalized education. Kids, like Logan Laplante, have removed themselves from public school in order...
The Future of 3D Printers In Outer Space
Back in May, we wrote a blog on how the future of 3D printers was going to impact the world. Our team was in awe at all the innovative ways people were using this advanced technology. We’ve been talking quite a bit about 3D printers, and we are excited to share a...
Huskers Launch – Part 3
In our previous two blog posts, we’ve given a behind-the-scenes look at a launch that took place on September 15th, and carried into near space experiments designed by local grade school students, members of a local 4-H club, and students from the university. The...
Cornhuskers Weather Balloon Launch – Part 2
Photo by: ERIC GREGORY/Lincoln Journal Star In our last post, we introduced a team from the University of Nebraska that planned to launch a high altitude balloon at a Huskers football game in front of roughly 85,000 fans. Because of how unique a high altitude balloon...
Nebraska Cornhuskers Launch
In this blog series we will be taking you back in time. In 2012 we had the opportunity to watch a graduate from StratoStar’s STEM Academy make history in a very cool way. In a huge collaboration with the Strategic Air and Space Museum, the University of...
Breaking News: Google Exec Breaks Redbull Near Space Free-Fall Record
Alan preparing for takeoff. Photo by: Volker D. Kern / PSDC Some of you may remember Felix Baumgartner and the Red Bull Stratossupersonic freefall that occurred back in 2012. The record held by the Australian daredevil was broken today. Alan Eustace, vice...
Advantages of STEM Careers
STEM fields offer students more than just a close look at how the world works. Even though changes in STEM education are altering the way students engage with and react to those fields of study, the process is slow. However, the more students learn practical, hands-on...
There’s No STEM Textbook | STEM Resources For Teachers
The guidelines for becoming a STEM teachers are usually not clear. There is no textbook for STEM. In order to educate yourself on STEM you may need resources. We put together a list of STEM resources that will help you become a more knowledgeable educator....
Curiosity Meets Passion: How To Build Curiosity Through STEM Education
One of the most exciting elements of teaching STEM education is seeing the curiosity build within your students. Suddenly their questions become more intuitive. They begin to learn from mistakes and make more educated decisions. This process will spark a passion...
Air Force’s 2014 National Teacher of the Year Takes Advantage of StratoStar Program
We would like to start off by introducing a very influential person. One of our very own Golden Apple teachers, Kaci Heins, was awarded The Air Force Association’s 2014 National Teacher of the Year. According to AFA News, this award recognizes “classroom teachers at...
Technology In The Classroom
Out with the passive and in with the active projects. What’s happening in the classroom is evolving into a technology based environment. Students are becoming more responsible, motivated, and expressive about their education. Not to mention it is vital that students...
Kenilworth Science and Technology Takes On StratoStar Weather Balloon Project
WAFB covered the story on a recent weather balloon launch. Elkhan Akhundov, a middle school teacher at Kenilworth Science and Technology in Louisiana, give his young scientists the opportunity to participate in a StratoStar weather balloonmission. The group’s main...
How To Become A STEM Teacher
Becoming a STEM teacher is not an easy process. It take dedication, research, and actually wanting to help your students grow through STEM education. The goal here is to evolve with your students. Students change the way they think, engage, and react almost every...
It’s Never Too Early To Start STEM Education
As we are all witnessing there is a lack in students graduating in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. We understand that STEM needs to be implemented in the classroom. The question is how early can we start teaching these subjects too our...
Benefits Of A Project Based Curriculum: Can Students Learn To Be Creative?
Some students are given the gift of natural creative talent. The question is can students learn to be creative from the benefits of a project based curriculum. Recent research suggest that the answer to this question is yes, if project based learning techniques are...
New York Film Academy’s Weather Balloon Project
The New York Film Academy’s Director of S.T.E.A.M. Education Initiatives, astrophysicist, and actor, Rajiv Uttamchandani helped conduct a weather balloon project in Los Angeles this past June. The launch was successful, detecting the climate change in the Southern...
Teaching with a High Altitude Balloon
There are so many great tools out there to assist teachers today. With technology advancing every day, this opens up a world of new ways to unlock student curiosity and give students new ways to understand and comprehend important lessons. One of these technologies is...
Top 5 Unexpected Apps for STEM Education
In today’s world, we use apps for everything from managing our bank accounts to expressing our thoughts via tweets, so why not use them for our STEM education projects? StratoStar has compiled a list of our top 5 favorite apps will make tracking, solving equations,...
Pros to Next Generation Science Standards
As research develops and science protocols shift and morph, so do the way we need to teach our children. Currently, most of our nation’s educators are teaching under the Common Core standard for science, but there is another set of standards in development. As always,...
Television’s Influence On STEM Education
(image: nypost.com) Watching television is one of the most appealing activities for 14 to 18 year olds. Some say “all TV is bad TV”, but is this true? Not exactly. Some television series have a positive influence on STEM education. Programs such as Planet Earth have...