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Casa Grande students present NASA Ascend payload project developed with Arizona Space Grant
Summary
Students from Casa Grande Union presented their Ascend near-space payload work developed with the NASA Arizona Space Grant Consortium, describing hardware, software and an off-nominal flight that led them to revisit objectives.
Students from Casa Grande Union High School presented an update April 14 on their participation in the NASA Arizona Space Grant Ascend project, which includes building and flying high-altitude balloon payloads and student research presentations alongside college teams.
John Morris, the students' advisor, introduced the group and said the work has continued for about three years and involves university-level collaboration. Team lead Landry Howard described the project scope and roadmap: first, gather reliable data from a single payload; second, fly two communicating payloads on the same balloon; third, integrate payload communication with ground rovers; and ultimately fly multiple balloons and rovers that communicate together.
Students described prototype development, enclosure design and component layout, programming on Arduino Nano boards, and custom printed circuit board work. They presented photos and flight results. The team recounted an off-nominal event during Ascend Flight 55 (March 20, 2025) when one balloon received about 10% less lift and became caught in the jet stream, leading to an extended flight and a difficult nighttime retrieval in rough terrain near Klondike. The students said they will revisit phases 1 and 2 to gain more reliable data before progressing to later phases.
Morris and board members commended the students on hands-on learning, machining, coding and presentation skills. The board asked no substantive follow-up questions and had no motions related to the presentation.
