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Compton College students launch high altitude balloon

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A group of Compton College students in STEM majors, ranging from computer science to physics, plan to conduct the college’s second High Altitude Balloon (HAB) launch on May 31 at 10 a.m. (weather permitting).

Under the guidance of physics instructor Kent Schwitkis, the first HAB was launched from Compton College in June 2018 and reached an altitude of 89,000 feet. The students hope to surpass the altitude gained last year and reach approximately 130,000 feet with this year’s HAB launch.

The weather balloon will be about six feet in diameter at launch and will propel a student-designed and constructed payload to a high altitude. The balloon’s payload consists of video cameras and onboard computers incorporating various types of sensors, including those that will record light intensity, acceleration, temperature, atmospheric pressure, altitude, and cosmic rays. The students applied the knowledge gained from last year’s maiden launch of Compton College’s HAB project to improve this year’s experiment. In 2018, the balloon launched from Compton College traveled to just shy of Victorville in about 3 hours and 30 minutes.

“This physics project provides students with a real-world opportunity to apply their classroom knowledge of the manufacturing and engineering processes, including planning, design, prototyping, and testing,” said Schwitkis. “Students gain experience in making contingencies regarding weather and wind patterns impacting the flight path of the balloon and its landing, in order to gain permission from the Federal Aviation Administration for the flight.”

The May 31 launch of the High Altitude Balloon will take place at 10 a.m. on the Compton College campus just west of Parking Lot A, located at 1111 Artesia Blvd.

For more information about the HAB launch, contact Kent Schwitkis at (310) 900-1600 ext. 2428. To learn more about the STEM degree programs offered at Compton College, contact MESA Program Specialist Lorena Fonseca at ext. 2544.

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