High School / HS-12
Available Grades 9–12 Aerospace RF & space
Plan a high-altitude balloon flight: build a sensor payload that logs its own flight path, predict ascent rate and burst altitude, and compare the predictions with recovered data.
Students build a non-transmitting GNSS and sensor logger, predict the flight (lift, ascent rate, burst altitude, descent, drift) from first principles, fly it to ≈ 25–30 km under a 600 g latex balloon with an adult flight director, recover it, and compare the data with the predictions and the US Standard Atmosphere 1976.
Students will:
Every high school pack includes worked math and physics, prediction-versus-measurement labs, at least two design-and-test iterations, data logging, a rubric, and documentation templates, plus printable Builder's Corner build journal pages.
Parts, specs, quantities, and estimated unit costs, with places to buy. Prices change; anything marked as an estimate is an estimate. Links were checked when the BOM was written.
Totals are computed from the line items below. Prices were read from vendor pages on the dates shown and will change. Rows tagged estimate have no verified link and are planning numbers only.
| ID | Part & spec | Qty | Unit (typical) | Line (typical) | Where to buy | Cheaper substitute | Adult handling / safety gear |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E1 | ESP32 Feather V2 (flight computer) Adafruit PID 5400 · Wi-Fi and Bluetooth switched OFF in firmware; STEMMA QT | 1 | $19.95 | $19.95 | adafruit.com Adafruit $19.95 · checked 2026-10-09 · In stock | Feather RP2040 Adalogger (PID 5980, $14.95, in stock 2026-10-09; has microSD built in, needs the RP2040 core: firmware not compiled for it) | Header soldering: adult supervision, Z87+ glasses, ventilation |
| E2 | Adalogger FeatherWing (RTC + microSD) Adafruit PID 2922 · 5.1 g; SD chip select 33 (Adafruit's ESP32 Feather table; same pin on the V2, confirmed in review) | 1 | $8.95 | $8.95 | adafruit.com Adafruit $8.95 · checked 2026-10-09 · In stock | Adafruit microSD breakout PID 4682 ($3.50, wire to SPI) | — |
| E3 | microSD card, industrial temperature (−40 °C to 85 °C), 8 GB e.g. SanDisk SDSDQAF3-008G-XI or Kingston Industrial SDCIT2/8GB (both −40 to +85 °C; SanDisk's -I version is only −25 °C). Model inside T reaches ≈ −22 to −24 °C; many consumer cards are rated only to −25 °C or 0 °C. FAT32 | 1 | $17.00 estimate | $17.00 | Industrial-card distributor (e.g. Mouser 524-SDCIT2/8GB) (no link) — | SanDisk SDSDQAF3-008G-I (−25 °C only: then extend the Lab 2 cold soak to −25 °C) | — |
| E4 | GNSS receiver u-blox MAX-M10S (Qwiic) SparkFun GPS-18037 · page: 'Max Altitude: 80,000m', 'Max Velocity: 500m/s' (receiver absolute limits); SMA connector only, needs E4a; firmware sets airborne <1g (6) and prints DO NOT FLY otherwise | 1 | $45.95 | $45.95 | sparkfun.com SparkFun $45.95 · checked 2026-10-09 · In stock | Adafruit Ultimate GPS PA1616S (PID 746, $29.95): its page does not state a high-altitude limit; not recommended until verified | — |
| E4a | GNSS antenna, active, SMA, magnetic-mount patch, 3 m cable Taoglas Ulysses AA.162.301111 · DC 1.8–5.5 V (3.0 V typ), 10 mA, LNA 28 dB, −40 to +85 °C, 57 g. The MAX-M10S board powers it from VCC_RF through 33 Ω + ferrite (≈ 2.8–3.1 V at the SMA, SparkFun schematic). Do NOT use a 3–5 V antenna such as GPS-14986 (below its minimum). Never use a passive antenna that shorts DC (it would overload VCC_RF): a passive antenna must be DC-open or have a DC block. Patch face-up under the foam lid; coil and tie the surplus cable | 1 | $25.47 | $25.47 | store.orbitalconnect.com Orbital Connect $25.47 · checked 2026-10-09 · In stock | DigiKey AA.162.301111 | — |
| E5 | STEMMA QT / Qwiic cable 100 mm Adafruit PID 4210 · Feather → GNSS → BMP388 chain | 2 | $0.95 | $1.90 | adafruit.com Adafruit $0.95 · checked 2026-10-09 · In stock | — | — |
| E6 | BMP388 barometric pressure + temperature (inside box) Adafruit PID 3966 · I²C 0x77; rated range 300–1250 hPa (Bosch BMP388 datasheet, confirmed in review), −40…+85 °C → valid only below ≈ 9 km | 1 | $9.95 | $9.95 | adafruit.com Adafruit $9.95 · checked 2026-10-09 · In stock | BMP390 PID 4816 ($10.95, out of stock on 2026-10-09) | — |
| E7 | DS18B20 waterproof temperature probe (outside air) Adafruit PID 381 · page: usable −55 to 125 °C, ±0.5 °C from −10 to +85 °C, 4.7 kΩ pull-up included | 1 | $9.95 | $9.95 | adafruit.com Adafruit $9.95 · checked 2026-10-09 · In stock | — | — |
| E8 | 3 × AA battery holder with 2.1 mm plug Adafruit PID 3842 | 1 | $2.95 | $2.95 | adafruit.com Adafruit $2.95 · checked 2026-10-09 · In stock | — | — |
| E9 | 2.1 mm DC jack to screw terminal Adafruit PID 368 · battery plug → Feather USB pin | 1 | $2.00 | $2.00 | adafruit.com Adafruit $2.00 · checked 2026-10-09 · In stock | Solder the holder leads directly | — |
| E10 | AA lithium iron-disulfide cells (e.g. Energizer Ultimate Lithium L91), 4-pack Cold-rated primary cells (no LiPo in the payload); 3 in the holder + 1 spare. Not rechargeable | 1 | $10.00 estimate | $10.00 | Retail (no link) — | Alkaline AA for bench tests only (poor capacity in the cold) | Never recharge, crush or heat lithium primary cells |
| E11 | 10 kΩ resistors (2) for the supply-voltage divider Any 1/4 W | 1 | $0.50 estimate | $0.50 | School stock (no link) — | — | — |
| E12 | Stacking headers for Feather Adafruit PID 2830 | 1 | $1.25 | $1.25 | adafruit.com Adafruit $1.25 · checked 2026-10-09 · In stock | Plain headers included with the boards | — |
| E13 | Hook-up wire 22 AWG solid (6 × 25 ft) Adafruit PID 1311 | 1 | $15.95 | $15.95 | adafruit.com Adafruit $15.95 · checked 2026-10-09 · In stock | Classroom stock | — |
| E14 | USB-A to USB-C data cable Adafruit PID 4474 · bench programming only | 1 | $4.95 | $4.95 | adafruit.com Adafruit $4.95 · checked 2026-10-09 · In stock | Classroom cable | — |
| E15 | Bluetooth item tracker (FCC Part 15 consumer device), ground-recovery aid e.g. Apple AirTag: product page fetched 2026-10-09 (Bluetooth / Find My network; works only near phones on that network; no price on the page). Not a flight tracker | 1 | $29.00 estimate | $29.00 | Retail (no link) — | Omit: rely on the logged track + landing prediction + visual search (low total) | Adult registers the tag to a school account |
| E16 | 1N5817 Schottky diode In the battery + lead, band toward the Feather: blocks USB 5 V from charging the primary cells (0.3–0.45 V drop; regulator still gets ≥ 4.0 V until the cells are nearly flat). Rule: unplug the battery before USB, every time | 1 | $0.25 estimate | $0.25 | Any (no link) — | SparkFun COM-10926 Schottky (1N5819, 1 A, 40 V; $0.30 on sparkfun.com/schottky-diode.html, 2026-10-09) | — |
| Subtotal | $205.97 | Low-cost path: $155.57 | |||||
| ID | Part & spec | Qty | Unit (typical) | Line (typical) | Where to buy | Cheaper substitute | Adult handling / safety gear |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Latex sounding balloon 600 g (Totex TA600) Kaymont HAB-600 · page: payload 1–2 lb, rate of ascent 350 m/min, burst diameter 19.8 ft, burst altitude 75,000–90,000 ft (with recommended payload), neck 3.0 cm | 1 | $65.00 | $65.00 | kaymont.com Kaymont $65.00 · checked 2026-10-09 · In stock | Rocketman HAB-600 $70.00 (the-rocketman.com/products/high-altitude-weather-balloons-hab, available 2026-10-09); High Altitude Science 600 g $69.00 | Handle with clean nitrile or cotton gloves; adult supervises inflation |
| F2 | HAB recovery parachute, 3 ft Rocketman 'High Altitude Balloon Parachutes', 3 ft variant · ripstop nylon, apex loop | 1 | $45.50 | $45.50 | the-rocketman.com Rocketman $45.50 (3 ft); 2 ft $35.50 · checked 2026-10-09 · Available (variant available = true) | 2 ft variant ($35.50) in the low total: ≈ 4 m/s landing for 0.5 kg instead of ≈ 3 m/s (hab.py, Cd ESTIMATE) | — |
| F3 | Helium, balloon grade, ≈ 80–100 ft³ usable hab.py plan: 63 ft³ for a 0.45 kg train at 5 m/s, 84 ft³ at 0.9 kg; buy ≥ 25 % margin. Cylinder rental + fill + a balloon-fill regulator from a local gas supplier (ask what fitting their regulator uses) | 1 | $150.00 estimate | $150.00 | Local industrial / welding gas supplier (quote) (no link) — | No hydrogen (flammable): helium only in this kit | ADULT ONLY: transport upright and secured, chain/strap the cylinder, valve cap on, Z87+ glasses and leather gloves |
| F4 | Balloon inflator, 3.0 cm, 5 ft hose Rocketman 'Weather Balloon Inflator 3.0cm' · fits the 3.0 cm neck | 1 | $95.00 | $95.00 | the-rocketman.com Rocketman $95.00 (5 ft hose) · checked 2026-10-09 · Available | Gas supplier's balloon-fill nozzle + hose clamp (low total assumes borrowed/supplied) | ADULT operates the cylinder valve and regulator |
| F5 | Ground screw and scale (neck-lift measurement) Rocketman 'Weather Balloon Ground Screw and Scale' | 1 | $30.00 | $30.00 | the-rocketman.com Rocketman $30.00 · checked 2026-10-09 · Available | Water jug filled to the target neck-lift mass + luggage scale (low total) | — |
| F6 | Flight line, braided, breaking strength ≤ 50 lb, 30 m Keeps the suspension below 14 CFR 101.1(a)(4)(iv) (> 50 lb impact force to separate). Use 30–50 lb line, label the spool. SINGLE STRAND in series between chute and box: no doubled loops (≈ 100 lb), no second line | 1 | $8.00 estimate | $8.00 | Hardware / kite store (no link) — | — | Adult checks the rated strength on the spool label |
| F7 | Insulated foam box (EPS), inside ≥ 140 × 140 × 90 mm Payload enclosure; foam passes GNSS signals | 1 | $6.00 estimate | $6.00 | Retail (no link) — | Cut-and-glued 1 in EPS insulation board | — |
| F8 | Nitrile gloves, tarp (inflation ground sheet), zip ties, duct tape, bright tape/streamer Gloves protect the latex from skin oils; tarp keeps the balloon off grass and grit | 1 | $22.00 estimate | $22.00 | Retail (no link) — | — | — |
| Subtotal | $421.50 | Low-cost path: $244.50 | |||||
| ID | Part & spec | Qty | Unit (typical) | Line (typical) | Where to buy | Cheaper substitute | Adult handling / safety gear |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | Baltic birch plywood 3 mm, 12 × 20 in Wood Vault, 1/8" Laser/CNC grade variant; 1 sheet (sled, rails, load plates, return tag) | 1 | $3.50 | $3.50 | woodvault.com The Wood Vault $3.50 per sheet (1/8" Laser/CNC grade variant) · checked 2026-10-09 · Not confirmed (variant availability not in page HTML) | Any 3 mm laser plywood (slots are 3.2 mm) | — |
| S2 | Laser cutter access or cutting service 1 sheet (estimate) | 1 | $5.00 estimate | $5.00 | Makerspace / cut service (no link) — | — | Trained adult operates the laser cutter |
| Subtotal | $8.50 | Low-cost path: $8.50 | |||||
| ID | Part & spec | Qty | Unit (typical) | Line (typical) | Where to buy | Cheaper substitute | Adult handling / safety gear |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T1 | Temperature-controlled soldering iron Pinecil | 1 | $68.50 | $68.50 | sparkfun.com SparkFun $68.50 · checked 2026-10-09 · Not recorded | Assumed owned in the low total | Adult supervision |
| T2 | Lead-free solder 15 g SparkFun | 1 | $4.95 | $4.95 | sparkfun.com SparkFun $4.95 (single-unit price) · checked 2026-10-09 · Not recorded | — | Wash hands after soldering |
| T3 | Safety glasses, ANSI Z87.1 (Z87+) impact-rated, clear 3M SecureFit SF201AF · clear anti-fog polycarbonate lens marked Z87+ (ANSI Z87.1 impact-rated; 3M spec table on strobelssupply.com and safetycompany.com, read 2026-10-09); soldering, laser cutting and the adult at the helium cylinder | 3 | $5.32 | $15.96 | platt.com Platt Electric Supply $5.32 EA · checked 2026-10-09 · 40 in stock (company-wide) | Any glasses marked Z87+ (ANSI Z87.1 high-impact). Not SparkFun SWG-11046: it lists only CE/EN 1836, a sunglass standard, not impact-rated | Check the Z87+ marking on arrival |
| T4 | Leather work gloves (cylinder handling) For the adult moving and opening the cylinder | 1 | $12.00 estimate | $12.00 | Hardware store (no link) — | Assumed owned | Adult only |
| T5 | Laptop with Python 3 + numpy (+ matplotlib), Arduino IDE; internet for forecasts and a trajectory predictor Flight planning and data analysis | 1 | $0.00 estimate | $0.00 | School (no link) — | — | — |
| Subtotal | $101.41 | Low-cost path: $20.91 | |||||
The pack is digital files only. Hardware is bought separately.
These are standards the pack's activities are mapped to by Laue Labs. They are not a certification or endorsement by any standards body or state.
| Activity | NGSS (HS) | Practices / crosscutting | Common Core Math |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lab 1 hydrostatic balance, scale height | HS-PS2-1 (forces & motion), HS-ESS2-4/HS-ESS2-5 context (atmosphere) | Developing and using models; Scale, proportion, and quantity | HSF-LE.A.1, HSF-LE.B.5 (exponential models) |
| Lab 2 power and cooling | HS-PS3-1, HS-PS3-4 (energy, thermal equilibrium) | Planning and carrying out investigations | HSF-LE.A.2, HSN-Q.A.1 |
| Lab 3 lift, ascent, burst | HS-PS2-1, HS-PS3-2 | Using mathematics and computational thinking | HSA-CED.A.4, HSF-BF.A.1 |
| Lab 4 descent and drift | HS-PS2-1; HS-ETS1-4 (simulation of a designed system) | Constructing explanations; Systems and system models | HSS-ID.B.6 (fit lines) |
| Lab 5 data analysis | HS-ESS2-4 context, HS-ETS1-3 (evaluate trade-offs) | Analyzing and interpreting data | HSS-ID.B.6, HSS-IC.B.6 |
| Rules, safety, go/no-go | HS-ETS1-3 (constraints: safety, regulation) | Obtaining, evaluating, communicating information | — |
Mapping is a draft for teacher review.
One student or one household.
You may:
You may not:
One homeschool family, or one co-op group of up to 10 learners with its facilitator(s).
You may:
You may not:
One teacher with up to 30 students in a single class or cohort.
You may:
You may not:
All licenses: digital files only (hardware not included). Keep Laue Labs attribution on printed handouts. After checkout you get an instant download on the thanks page. License questions, more learners, or site licenses: lance.haney@gmail.com.
