SEND YOUR EXPERIMENT TO THE EDGE OF SPACE with the University of Maine High Altitude Ballooning Program

The UMaine High Altitude Ballooning program* is offering K-12 classes in Maine the opportunity to conduct their own experiments at the edge of space. Teachers provide the experiment and we will launch it aboard a high altitude balloon up to 118,000 feet or more, recover the payload and return it to you at no cost. Students can participate in the launch and recovery as much as they are able, or just track the flight online!

* with funding from the Maine Space Grant Consortium


Now taking applications for flights in 2023-2024! We’ll have flights both Fall and Spring!

Fill out a form online to apply or (just email if you’ve made contact before).

Contact: Dr. Rick Eason, 207.581.2242

Come up with an experiment that you would like to try. Send us your payload. You can either provide your own payload box, or we can provide one for you. We will attach your payload to a high altitude balloon and launch it to “the edge of space,” up in the stratosphere, typically to an altitude of 118,000 feet (36 km) or more. We include a GoPro camera on each flight and we will provide you with the video after the flight. We recover the payloads and return them to you (we’ll pay the postage). We will try to launch 5 or 6 payloads on each balloon. Roughly six flights are planned this spring with an addition six flights this fall.

For more information go to our FAQ page.