OGDEN -- Charla Boom owns something that has been to near space.
It's a great conversation starter -- or killer -- she said, depending on the person you're talking to.
The junior is a part of Weber State University's HARBOR team. The High Altitude Reconnaissance Balloon for Outreach and Research team sends into space a student-designed, high-altitude balloon system that collects data about the stratosphere, the area of the atmosphere between 6 and 31 miles up.
In several launches, Boom attached a lapel pin to the system so she can show people her possession that has been to space.
"It's spectacular," she said.
The HARBOR team recently received a $25,000 grant from NASA to monitor atmospheric dust over the Wasatch Front. In particular, the students are trying to learn more about stratospheric aerosols.
John Armstrong, assistant physics professor, said they first learned about the grant in October but funding didn't arrive until January. The money will pay for seven students to work as team leads and will cover all of the equipment, including launching equipment, the group will need this year.
The group sends a helium balloon about 30 meters in diameter, with a parachute and surveying equipment attached, into near space to take photos and monitor the temperature and pressure in the stratosphere.
When the balloon reaches the upper level of its journey, it bursts and the parachute carries the equipment back to the ground, where students locate the device.
The group is planning its first launch for NASA in Duchesne in late May.
Boom said it will take about an hour to prepare the launch, then the balloon will lift for 60 minutes. After popping, the system will take about an hour to reach the ground.
"In 120 minutes, we can go and recover stuff from near space," she said.
The group will help NASA learn more about aerosols in the stratosphere in order to better understand their role in shaping the planet's climate.
The balloon is designed and built entirely by the students.
"In this project, everyone is equal," said Trent Dortzbach, a senior.
"Yeah, we have our professors, but they are looking to students for the ideas and the solutions to the problem. We're driving it. If things don't get done, it's because we weren't working on it. If things do get done, it's our success."
This hands-on, student-driven ideal helps the students when preparing for real-world situations after they leave school, Armstrong said.
"They are in charge of building," he said. "We try our best to mimic NASA mission environment. We have tests and checklists, launch dates. While this stuff is kind of an exercise, it really does matter."
Developing the project is a long process, but the students say they have learned from the experience and have enjoyed seeing the system come together.
"I've learned a lot about how to have an assignment and get it done on time and work with other people," said Joel Linford, a sophomore.
"The whole ability to see the big project being done is a lot of fun.
"It's really cool to see it all come together, to see everything we built from start to finish."
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