NMSU team to release balloon into atmosphere to record eclipse

An NMSU team traveled nearly one thousand miles to release an eight-foot-tall balloon into the atmosphere to record the solar eclipse.

“I just, I can’t wait,” said Dr. Paulo Oemig, who works with the New Mexico Space Grant Consortium.

The balloon will carry a video camera to record the eclipse from an altitude of almost 100,000 feet. The group will launch the balloon at roughly 11 a.m. at the Homestead National Monument of America in Beatrice, Nebraska.

“This has been a long journey for many people, and particularly for myself,” Oemig said.

The project has been roughly a year in the making, requiring the efforts of dedicated students.

“(It’s been great) seeing the effort and the dedication these students are bringing to their work,” Oemig said.

Total flight time will be around 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Oemig said it’s been extremely rewarding watching his students see the process unfold.

“Being with students a lot brings myself alive,” Oemig said. “(I love) being able to enjoy it with students.”

The students involved are Norann Calhoun, who is majoring in chemical engineering and Sten Hasselquist, who is majoring in astronomy. Assistant professor Krishna Kota also contributed to the project.

The public can view a live-stream of the balloon on the NASA sponsored website: http://eclipse.stream.live/.