GLOBO

The primary purpose of this project is to create a functional prototype that demonstrates how high-altitude balloons can be leveraged for environmental monitoring and climate research. By equipping our high altitude balloon with sensors for CO₂, aerosols, and infrared temperature variations, we aim to address critical gaps in pollution tracking and its environmental effects.   To make this project a reality we need funding. Our anticipated budget is less than $1,000, since we have a simple one unit payload design. In comparison, other high altitude balloons usually cost over $5,000. We have applied to the George W. Housner Student Discovery Fund to hopefully get the financial resources we need for this project. 

• Humidity: Utilized to monitor moisture variations at different altitudes.
• Temperature: Incorporated to capture thermal gradients and analyze heat distribution across the altitudes.
• CO₂ Concentrations: Using an infrared absorption sensor to monitor atmospheric CO₂ levels and identify pollution trends.
• Methane: Detected to accurately measure methane concentrations, a key greenhouse gas.
• Combustible and Hazardous Gases: Utilizing sensors to detect a range of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and hazardous gases that may indicate pollution sources
• Camera: Record the launch and observe any visible changes
• GPS Tracking System: A high-precision SPOT GPS receiver for real-time monitoring and transmission of the balloon’s geolocation and altitude
• Communication Module: A dedicated communication system (e.g., RF transceiver or APRS) for seamless data transmission to a ground station, to prevent losses of data
• Payload Frame: A custom-engineered structural frame (3D printed) designed to house and protect all components under varying environmental conditions.

With rising levels of greenhouse gases like CO₂ and methane driving global warming, obtaining real-time, accurate data on these emissions is essential to pinpoint high-risk areas and develop effective solutions. Particularly, in light of recent fires, studies of atmospheric emission footprints are essential to environmental research efforts.

High-altitude CubeSats are a sustainable, cost-effective, and scalable way to monitor greenhouse gases and monitor atmospheric conditions. By deploying advanced sensors in the upper atmosphere, CubeSats continuously gather data in real time, filling the gaps left by ground-based monitoring systems. These important insights can inform policy decisions, improve environmental management, and enable more targeted actions to combat climate change. Thus, greenhouse gas and environmental monitoring high-altitude CubeSats are crucial for addressing the growing challenges of climate change and environmental degradation. Inspired by this growing need, we aim to design, prototype, and deploy a high altitude CubeSat GLOBO equipped with advanced sensors for monitoring atmospheric conditions and pollutants.  

Our project entails the design and deployment of a high-altitude balloon prototype equipped with an array of environmental sensors for comprehensive atmospheric data collection and transmission.