Launching a rocket from a balloon

A rockoon is a rocket that is launched from a high-altitude balloon (further HAB). The HAB, typically filled with hydrogen or helium, lifts a special launch platform with the rocket up to an altitude of 20-30 km. As higher levels of the atmosphere get significantly less dense, even a rather small rocket can achieve meaningful altitudes due to reduced friction. If the ascent is nominal and the HAB is within its corridor of maximum height, the rocket is launched. After launching, both the rocket and the HAB are recovered.

PROJECT GOALS

Our objective is to demonstrate our abilities in the following areas:

Organisation, planning and execution of HAB flights
Long-distance two-way communications with the balloon platform
Stabilisation and pointing of the platform in the roll axis
Gain flight heritage for our systems in the stratospheric environment
Recovery of the balloon platform

PLANNED FLIGHTS | TIMELINE

2023 October

Flight I
Test & Validate early flight computer and antenna pointing system versions
2023 December

Flight II
Improved flight computers
Test initial versions of BMC collab experiment systems
2024 March

Flight III
Mission control overhaul
Individual BMC collab system validation before integration (Experiment Jar, Payload flight computer, Ranging, Parachute ejection test)
Ballon detachment mechanism test
2024 August:

Flight IV
Live analog video
BMC collab microgravity experiment payload drop
Upgraded antenna pointing mechanism
Platform stabilisation system (reaction wheel)
2024 October:

Flight V
More data collection from the payload drop for BMC
2025 Spring:

Rocket Flight VI
Rocket test flight from the platform (close to the ground).
2025 Summer:

Rocket Flight VII
Rocket test flight from the platform at 25+km height

TEST FLIGHT 2

Launched from Cēsis Airfield on the 16h of December 2023
The launch platform V1 was safely recovered over 100+km away
All data and some video footage were recovered
Core systems were tested

DETAILED REPORT

Balloon-launched platform (V1) first integrated test flight
Key achievements:

Testing of both the main flight computer and microgravity flight computer
- Two-way radio communication at a distance of 130+ km
Base station with an automatic antenna pointing system
Testing of the microgravity experiment container
Successful recovery of the launch platform at a distance of 100+ km from the launch site

In the coming months, the launch platform will be improved (V2), incorporating various individual systems we have been working on and addressing issues observed in this flight.

Improved microgravity experiment container, maintaining 36.6C and 1atm
Improved microgravity vehicle flight computer
Adding mission control software to the existing base station
Adding the platform detachment mechanism from the balloon for more precise control of the landing location

TEST FLIGHT 3

Key achievements of this test flight:

Launched from Madliena on the 31h of March 2024
The launch platform, all data and some video footage were recovered
Experiment Container performed nominally
1 out of 2 new flight computers was identified to be faulty
YAMCS-based mission control worked as expected
The detachment mechanism was validated and will be incorporated as a fully functional system in future launches
The payload ejection charge was tested in near-vacuum and low-temperature conditions
The lora-based ranging system worked through the whole flight at 40+km

Overall all the needed systems for the Microgravity payload vehicle and ballon platform were tested for us to improve and add other necessary systems in the next flights.

DETAILED REPORT