Just what is Near Space? Why explore it?

Near space is the expanse of the highest parts of our atmosphere. It starts about 11 miles up, and ends were space officially begins - 62 miles up. You might recall being on a flight when the pilot announces a cruising altitude of 32,000 feet – or six miles, so by comparison, near space is pretty high. There is no air to speak of (99% vacuum); it is intensely cold (-50 to -70 degrees F); it has high cosmic radiation (levels 100X greater than sea level) and can have extreme levels of ultraviolet radiation. Amateur balloon enthusiasts routinely send payloads to the lower reach of near space - into altitudes of 16 to 22 miles – and experience all of these intense conditions.  Why go there?

NASA provided image of Earth's atmosphere: Orange area is the troposphere - 0 to 6 miles up. Near Space begins at the orange-white boarder and extends up to 62 miles.  

Near space is a space-like environment in many ways – therefore an ideal place to make measurements and perform experiments unanswerable on earth – and it can be accessed at a small fraction of the cost of launching equipment into true space. And who doesn’t want to get images from his or her own camera of the heavens and vicariously become an astronaut? 

Planning, designing, and launching a mission into near space is within reach of anyone with some technical moxie and a $500 to $1,500 budget.  It’s a project that offers a taste of space flight, the application of radio and GPS tracking, the opportunity for exceptional photography, and a platform for science experiments. The launch provides the fun of a vehicle-based chase game with technology-based tools.  And beyond the aim of getting a payload up and back successfully, a balloon mission can be a great team building experience – as it engages a group of people with multiple talents to reach a common goal.  Perhaps the best reason to explore near space is the shared memories and building of long-term relationships when working towards an inspiring goal!