A TEAM of pupils at Tudor Grange Academy in Redditch, led by their science teacher Ben Wilkes, launched a weather balloon that travelled 21,000 metres into the stratosphere.
With onboard cameras and tracking devices, the project collected scientific data about the planet’s atmosphere, before parachuting back down to earth just outside the Norfolk coast.
This feat was the result of a year’s preparation and a collaboration with the University of Warwick.
Mr Wilkes said: “Having undertaken a similar project ten years ago, I was very keen to get current year nine pupils involved in something along the same lines – particularly in light of the technological advances that have happened in the last decade.
“I have a real passion for space and astronomy and knew we had the commitment from the pupils to work on a space-based experiment after school. We applied for funding from The Royal Society Partnership which gave us the confidence and motivation to get started.”
The project involved many months of research, preparation, exploration and teamwork.
The pupils worked with a climate science PhD researcher from the University of Warwick who helped to drive the project forward with Mr Wilkes.
Mr Wilkes added: “In true science style, we consistently had to revisit ideas and experiments, evaluating what we could do – against what we could not.
“The pupils took all of this in their stride and recognised that science can be challenging at times.
“They studied climate science, learnt about problem solving and how to work constructively as a team and challenge one another.
“These new skills will take them way beyond the classroom, and even beyond the earth.”
For the future, Mr Wilkes and his project team are planning to host training sessions for other schools interested in the pursuit of reaching space.
They are also planning their next space adventure for 2026, following a successful funding application to The Royal Astronomical Society.
He said: “Watching the pupils realise that a dream can become a reality, seeing that balloon lift off and watching it disappear into the sky, knowing we had done all we could do to reach the edge of the atmosphere was mind-blowing.”
