Galician students launch a stratospheric capsule that aspires to reach 35,000 meters high

2023-05-10 18:47:49

During the minutes before noon, and thanks to a live broadcast, we were able to witness the launch of MarumaSat V, a stratospheric capsule launched from Santiago de Compostela and that aspires to reach at least 35,000 meters high.

All this has been possible thanks to student work of up to four educational centers in Galicia that participate in a program created by the Galician School Space Agency, ‘A NOSA’, a project that is making its fifth release this year. “We have already done another four, with very good results, but the pandemic stopped the launch of the fifth, the one we are celebrating today,” says Lucía, a student at the Vila de Cruces institute.

They aspire to surpass their own record, the MarumaSat IV reached 35,000 meters high, and to be able to study all the data provided by the stratospheric capsule. For this they have incorporated a 360º camera, which records the images of ascent and descent; a structure 3D printed designed to carry an egg, with the purpose of resisting the vagaries of the trip, of the impact, of the landing and return intact to the surface; and a LoRa device to establish radio communication with the capsule.

With all this, in their latest launch, they obtained data on pressure, temperature, wind intensity and direction, images of the earth’s curvature and, shortly after, they studied them in the different centers that are part of the project. “We are very excited and looking forward to seeing all the data collected by the capsule,” says Gabriel, a student at the Oleiros study center in A Coruña.

After prior notification to the airport, “because we don’t want it to collide with planes”, and a countdown shared by all the students, the stratospheric capsule took flight from the City of Culture of Santiago.

Now, in the wishes of all of them, they hope to be able to receive data to analyze it and exceed the height of the previous capsule, 35,000 meters high.