"C4TS IN SPACE" project – Carrying Four Tiny Sensors with a high-altitude balloon at the upper limit of the atmosphere

                   The desire to explore cosmic space, the curiosity that leads to discoveries, and the joy of knowledge are the intense feelings that each of us possesses. Students of any age are keen to learn new things, but in the 21st-century learning has to get new valences, its instruments being stronger and more creative. Motivated by the astronauts and space exploration researchers, but also by their passions, a group of adolescents, and 10th-grade students from the National College of Computer Science, Piatra-Neamt, Romania, made an amazing journey into the knowledge universe. This poster reveals this extraordinary learning project, a real and challenging adventure. The purpose of the “C4TS in Space” project, was to build and successfully launch a high-altitude balloon filled with Helium, which would climb to the upper limit of the atmosphere, where the cosmic space begins, then descend with a parachute and be recovered.

                   Over a year and a few months, the students have documented, deepened, and correlated the notions of mechanics and thermodynamics and made models of the ascension and descent of the balloon for different values ​​of its payload weight. Students chose the parameters of the atmosphere to be measured and the sensors that could be used, built the hardware, and programmed the data acquisition device. They also studied and documented how to directly communicate data from sensors to the ground. Given that the balloon has been crossing areas with air traffic, a thorough documenting of air legislation and completing all the necessary formalities for the legality of the flight was needed.

                  The whole project was a success, both in terms of launching/recovering the balloon and from an educational point of view. The feelings the students have experienced in processing data and watching videos from the balloon, at the limit of cosmic space, led them to want to participate in more projects and made them aware of the complexity of their acquired knowledge. 

                   Likewise, for me as an educator, the project has been an opportunity to guide students through open learning approaches.