Uploaded September 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
On 8 July 2025, the Compton College STEM Club launched a High-Altitude Balloon (HAB) in coordination with the FAA. The weather was clear and sunny with little wind so launch conditions were excellent.
The HAB required 130 cubic feet of helium to achieve a total target lift of 1700 grams. Weight of the payload was 1300 grams leaving a net lift of 400 grams. Targeted flight time was not to exceed 4 hours.
The HAB's payload consisted of several sensors plus three video cameras directed upward, downward, and to the side, an Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS) transmitter, and a SPOT GPS location transmitter. The targeted HAB launch time was 10:30 AM but a fire alarm delayed the launch to 11:14 AM.
After 2 hours and 25 minutes of flight, the HAB reached a burst altitude of 96,914 ft. The last report from the HAB and its presumed landing time was 2:17 PM, 3 hours and 4 minutes after launch. It landed in Rosamund Dry Lakebed at the Southwest corner of Edwards Air Force Base.
The HAB recovery team provided Edwards personnel the coordinates of the landing site. Edwards personnel retrieved the HAB and payload, reviewed the video files with the recovery team, requested deletion of 3 downward video files, and returned the package to the recovery team.
Event Participants:
HAB Lead – Moira Iniguez
Payload Team – Moira Iniguez, Jose Quintero, Marvin Godinez Jr, Alexis Mercado, Andrea Gonzalez
Structure – Luis Pantoja, Max Paredes Arce
Simulations – Zinedine Contreras-Medina, Omar Elizalde
Launch Director – Amber Tec
Recovery Team – Amber Tec, Luis Pantoja, Sherry Ross, Brian Johnson
Control Team – Moira Iniguez, Max Paredes Arce, Andrea Gonzalez, Zinedine Contreras Medina
Advisors – Lorena Fonseca, Kent Schwitkis, Brian Johnson, Sherry Ross, Tom Carter
Video Editor – Steve Sheridan
Music:
"A Sky Revolution" by Digital Juice
"Final Girl" by Jeremy Blake
"Eternal Garden" by Dan Henig
This video is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
On 8 July 2025, the Compton College STEM Club launched a High-Altitude Balloon (HAB) in coordination with the FAA. The weather was clear and sunny with little wind so launch conditions were excellent.
The HAB required 130 cubic feet of helium to achieve a total target lift of 1700 grams. Weight of the payload was 1300 grams leaving a net lift of 400 grams. Targeted flight time was not to exceed 4 hours.
The HAB's payload consisted of several sensors plus three video cameras directed upward, downward, and to the side, an Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS) transmitter, and a SPOT GPS location transmitter. The targeted HAB launch time was 10:30 AM but a fire alarm delayed the launch to 11:14 AM.
After 2 hours and 25 minutes of flight, the HAB reached a burst altitude of 96,914 ft. The last report from the HAB and its presumed landing time was 2:17 PM, 3 hours and 4 minutes after launch. It landed in Rosamund Dry Lakebed at the Southwest corner of Edwards Air Force Base.
The HAB recovery team provided Edwards personnel the coordinates of the landing site. Edwards personnel retrieved the HAB and payload, reviewed the video files with the recovery team, requested deletion of 3 downward video files, and returned the package to the recovery team.
Event Participants:
HAB Lead – Moira Iniguez
Payload Team – Moira Iniguez, Jose Quintero, Marvin Godinez Jr, Alexis Mercado, Andrea Gonzalez
Structure – Luis Pantoja, Max Paredes Arce
Simulations – Zinedine Contreras-Medina, Omar Elizalde
Launch Director – Amber Tec
Recovery Team – Amber Tec, Luis Pantoja, Sherry Ross, Brian Johnson
Control Team – Moira Iniguez, Max Paredes Arce, Andrea Gonzalez, Zinedine Contreras Medina
Advisors – Lorena Fonseca, Kent Schwitkis, Brian Johnson, Sherry Ross, Tom Carter
Video Editor – Steve Sheridan
Music:
"A Sky Revolution" by Digital Juice
"Final Girl" by Jeremy Blake
"Eternal Garden" by Dan Henig
This video is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
