ICARUS campaign
From to , five meteorological balloons carrying five Canadian payloads and 15 high-school experiments will be launched from the Timmins Stratospheric Balloon Base in Ontario to test new technologies, conduct science experiments and take measurements from the stratosphere.
The goal of the campaign is to provide students with a unique opportunity to design, build and test small payloads before they are launched aboard a stratospheric expandable balloon system, provided by the Canadian Space Agency, up to 35km in altitude. As part of the project, the teams are introduced to engineering processes, such as technical progress reports, in different phases. The campaign provides an amazing way to develop STEM skills and an exciting opportunity to inspire students in engineering and sciences.
List of payloads
CAN-SBX Challenge:
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EEVEE (Emissivity Evaluation of Vanadium dioxide in Extreme Environment)
- Organization: PolyOrbite, Polytechnique Montréal
- Objective: Demonstration of vanadium dioxide coatings as a passive thermal control for satellite applications
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PHOEBE (PHOtomicrobial Energy Bioelectric Experiment)
- Organization: Mission SpaceWalker, University of Alberta
- Objectives: Demonstration of an electric bioreactor with cyanobacteria in the stratosphere
The University of Alberta team behind PHOEBE (left to right): Kyla Fald, Megan Ritchie, Ashley Dugarte Izarra, Surabhi Vijay Sonawane, Jessica Lai, Jasmine Reece, Aaliyah Wusu, and Marie Metz (pictured in the inset). (Credit: Mission SpaceWalker)
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PrOxYeast
- Organization: InSpace, Carleton University
- Objective: Demonstration of a controlled environment microscope for microbial study in the stratosphere
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SAFARI (Space Analysis for Forest Assessment by Remote Imaging)
- Organization: LASSENA, École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS) Montréal
- Objectives: Demonstration of end-to-end observation and analysis of wildfire indicators using multispectral imaging and machine learning for satellite applications
ET-bio (Extra-terrestrial biomanufacturing):
- Organization: Willi Lab, University of Lethbridge
- Objective: Study stability limits of Cell-Free Expression (CFE) in the extreme stratospheric environment to inform future extraterrestrial biomanufacturing
The University of Lethbridge team that worked on ET-bio (left to right): Jessica A. Willi, Roza Gabdullina, and Valeria Angulo Villa. (Credit: Willi Lab)
Science Timmins:
- Organization: Science Timmins
- Objectives: 12 experiments from high-school students measuring pressure, altitude, UV intensity, and position, and studying stratospheric effects on a variety of materials
WIBCA (West Island Black Community Association):
- Organization: WIBCA Montréal
- Objectives: Three experiments from high-school students measuring temperature and pollutants and studying stratospheric effects on everyday items
Contact
Should you have any questions regarding the STRATOS program, contact us at stratos_administration@asc-csa.gc.ca.