Wright State University engineering students launch a high altitude balloon at the Lake Campus on Tuesday afternoon. The helium-filled balloon, which could reach 20 miles in altitude, had a predicted path from the Lake Campus to a touchdown near Springfield.

  The university started projects for near-space exploration in 2003 with funding from the Ohio Space Grant Consortium. Several hundred students have participated in the projects through the years, with a group of freshmen making a project presentation at a NASA meeting in 2004.

  At left, student Caleb Barnes attaches a radar reflector that will hang under the balloon in flight to allow aircraft with radar the ability to see the balloon. Two Styrofoam coolers under the balloon house instruments to collect data.

  To learn more about the team or the path of the balloon go to www.cs.wright.edu/balloon.