Ball Aerospace Interns Showcase Skills on High-Altitude Balloon Launch
Boulder, CO, July 15 2017 – Over the last six weeks, Ball Aerospace interns have worked to build four different payloads that will launch aboard an Edge of Space Science (EOSS) high-altitude balloon. This year’s Ball Intern Remote Sensing Team (BIRST) includes 39 interns and 25 mentors. The high-altitude balloon and Ball payloads will soar through the Earth’s atmosphere to approximately 80,000 feet.
Missions:
Team 1: Use a ground station gimbal system to track payload antenna in order to maximize signal strength.
Team 2: Design and engineer a payload containing both a dynamic sensor suite and a stabilized optical system that can operate while traveling upwards of 80,000 feet into Earth's atmosphere. The system will record stable video and environmental data while withstanding midair turbulence and extreme environmental changes.
Team 3: Use the extreme environmental conditions in the upper atmosphere to cool a carbonated liquid in a Ball-built 7.5 ounce can to the ideal drinking temperature. Communicate the temperature of the beverage in real-time through Twitter.
Team 4: Use Ball's virtual reality lab to process and view images collected using an on-board payload camera. Sensor suite (pressure, temperature, magnetometer) – track conditions by altitude, determine spin/rate force for future BIRST teams, conduct high altitude sabermetrics (using MLB Statcast data and calculating air density from sensors).
When/Where:
Student Balloon Launch
Saturday, July 15, 2017, 6:00 – 8:00 a.m.
Location: Limon, CO
Follow the BIRST mission on our social media channels LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter.
About the BIRST program: Launching aboard a high-altitude balloon is a first for BIRST. Since 2009, Ball has offered students space industry experience by launching payloads they build aboard rockets. This year, Ball has expanded this program to offer real-world opportunities through new launch vehicles—high-altitude balloons. The interns had six weeks to design, build and test the rockets and the payloads with the guidance of Ball mentors.
Ball Aerospace pioneers discoveries that enable our customers to perform beyond expectation and protect what matters most. We create innovative space solutions, enable more accurate weather forecasts, drive insightful observations of our planet, deliver actionable data and intelligence, and ensure those who defend our freedom go forward bravely and return home safely. For more information, visit www.ball.com/aerospace or connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter.
Ball Corporation supplies innovative, sustainable packaging solutions for beverage, food and household products customers, as well as aerospace and other technologies and services primarily for the U.S. government. Ball Corporation and its subsidiaries employ 18,450 people worldwide and 2016 net sales were $9.1 billion. For more information, visit www.ball.com, or connect with us on Facebook or Twitter.
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Ball Aerospace Media Contact: Jackie Berger
(703) 284-5412, jberger@ball.com
Investor Relations: Ann Scott
(303) 460-3537, ascott@ball.com
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