A Scientific Mission Based on a High Altitude Stratospheric Balloon

In presence of economic constraints the governments have not always the funding necessary for the realization of space missions and international space agencies throughout the world are forced to limit part of their activities. Stratospheric balloons may constitute a valid economic alternative and this activity is fostered in Italy both by public and private companies. The mission described in this paper arises from the joint effort of ALTEC (Advanced Logistic Technological Engineering Center), Politecnico di Torino (PoliTo) and Osservatorio Astrofisico di Torino (OATO) in the development of a low-cost experiment based on the launch of a stratospheric balloon. The project started in late 2012 and evolved in the launch of a weather balloon from the airport of Cuneo-Levaldigi in December 2013. The balloon carried a payload of about 3 kg and included a digital camera, a smartphone and a radio-sonde. The camera captured pictures and videos during most of the flight. The radio-sonde collected weather data and was used together with the smartphone to track the system position in real time. Moreover, the trajectory was predicted using a software tool that has been developed during the project. After the launch, the balloon began to rise at an average speed of 5 m/s and it burst after 100 minutes at an altitude of 29356 m. Then, after a slow parachuted descent, the payload landed afloat in the Ligurian Sea, at about 5 km from the coasts of Albenga (Savona, Italy). Fortunately, the payload has been recovered the same day at local 8:00 p.m. together with the data gathered by the camera and the smartphone. The data from the flight have been used as a validation tool for the mission simulator. At the same time, the payload shall be a prototype system to be used as a reference in future missions.