The pupils at Tudor Grange Academy Redditch undertake a science project that is literally out of this world
In October this year a team of enthusiastic pupils at Tudor Grange Academy Redditch, led by their science teacher Mr 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 phenomenal feat was the result of a year’s preparation and a notable collaboration with The University of Warwick.
“Having undertaken a similar project ten years ago, I was very keen to get current Year 9 pupils at Tudor Grange Academy Redditch involved in something along the same lines - particularly in light of the technological advances that have happened in the last decade” explained Mr Wilkes. “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. This involvement was supported by the excellent astronomy department within the university.
“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” said Mr Wilkes.
The science project reflects the National Curriculum and aligns with many of the core subjects being taught in school, as well as science. The pupils worked together on a long-term experiement, took advice from external organisations, and successfully completed a mission to send a weather balloon to the edge of space.
Mr Wilkes commented “I am extremely proud of the pupils involved. They are an inspiration to everyone. I say that you should never be defined by anything, including your postcode. Take risks and try new things, you never know where it might lead. In this case it led to a direct connection between us in Redditch and outer space!”
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.
“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. These are very important times working and learning together within the Tudor Grange school community” concluded Mr Wilkes.
FACT FILE:
An interesting Q&A on some of the more technical parts of the TGA Redditch space project
Q: How were the weather balloon and payload built?
A: We bought the weather balloon as a pack from a German company. They have a website dedicated to helping people do this activity. The payload was a polystyrene box which was filled with cameras, data loggers, and power supplies to keep everything running. We had to think about the design and stability of the payload as it would be being pulled into space.
Q: What kind of data were the students collecting from the edge of space?
A:
- Temperature
- Pressure
- Humidity
- Altitude
- Video footage of the earth from space
Q: How did you ensure the project complied with regulations, such as approval from the Civil Aviation Authority?
A: We were given guidance on how to do this via our space balloon supplier. We then completed an application and had regular contact with the CAA.
Q: How did the team track and recover the balloon after it landed in Norfolk?
A: We had a GPS tracker on board which told us where the object was after it had landed. The tracker goes into "dark mode" when at altitude as it goes above the height of mobile phone towers. Therefore, we had to wait for the payload to land before it sent us back a signal. We then looked on the map of the landing location and contacted places that were close by.
Q: Can you describe any exciting or unexpected findings from the data or footage collected?
A: We were able to measure the temperature of space which dropped to below -50 which was awesome to see. We were blown away with how high our balloon got to. And we can confirm that the Earth is in fact round!
Q: Can you describe the atmosphere on the day of the launch?
A: Everyone was beyond excited - all the hard work we had put in had finally paid off. The weather was also perfect.
Q: Were there any particularly memorable moments during the launch?
We had purchased two big tanks of helium for the launch. Helium is expensive and we managed to use just one tank. Sitting on the floor whilst helium pours into a 3m wide balloon is a bit stressful. We did not want to let go of that balloon!
Q: How did students react when they saw footage of the Earth’s curvature or the collected data?
A: They were mesmerised and excited and couldn't believe they had been part of this.
Q: How has this project been received by the rest of the school community?
We have shared it with all our pupils and staff. They have been really impressed. The head teacher spoke to the team personally to pass on her congratulations. The school have been behind us 100%.