Location:
NASA’s Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility in Palestine, Texas
The Louisiana Aerospace Catalyst Experiences for Students (LaACES)project, funded at Loyola University by NASA's National Space Grant College and Fellowship program, is giving students a true hands-on experience with experimental design and construction, project management and life-cycle, data collection, analysis and interpretation. During LaACES, Loyola Physics department students design, build, fly and analyze the data returned from small experimental payloads carried up to 100,000 feet by a helium-filled latex sounding balloon. The launch takes place at NASA’s Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility in Palestine, Texas. The experience gained by the nearly week long stay at the NASA facility is enhanced through flight readiness reviews, flight operation meetings, team-driven post data analysis and a final science presentation to be given by the team. Loyola University, a Louisiana Space Consortium member institution, is now engaged in the annual balloon program and is eagerly anticipating the upcoming launch scheduled for May 22, 2012. For more information, contact Patrick Garrity at plgarrit@loyno.edu or (504) 865-3644.