Is this project an undergraduate, graduate, or faculty project?
Undergraduate
Project Type
group
Campus
Daytona Beach
Authors' Class Standing
Lena Wang, Senior Gannon English Ethan Yemm Gabrielle Guirguis Jose Murphy
Lead Presenter's Name
Lena Wang
Lead Presenter's College
DB College of Aviation
Faculty Mentor Name
Dr. Francisco Crespo Cutillas
Abstract
Project Minerva is a multidisciplinary engineering initiative at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) dedicated to the design, integration, and deployment of high-altitude balloon (HAB) systems for stratospheric research and aerospace hardware validation. The project challenges student researchers to engineer flight-ready payloads capable of maintaining structural and electronic integrity in extreme temperatures and low-pressure environments in the stratosphere. Typically utilizing 600g latex balloons filled with helium, Project Minerva missions aim to achieve altitudes exceeding 22,000 meters to facilitate vertical atmospheric profiling of variables such as CO₂ concentration, humidity, temperature, and pressure. Beyond its technical objectives, the project serves as a professional training ground mirroring industry standards through the development of comprehensive Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), operations management, and strict adherence to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations for National Airspace System safety. Through this lifecycle of design, telemetry validation, and data analysis, Project Minerva provides a scalable platform for advancing undergraduate expertise in remote sensing, meteorology, and aerospace engineering.
Did this research project receive funding support (Spark, SURF, Research Abroad, Student Internal Grants, Collaborative, Climbing, or Ignite Grants) from the Office of Undergraduate Research?
No
Project Minerva
Project Minerva is a multidisciplinary engineering initiative at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) dedicated to the design, integration, and deployment of high-altitude balloon (HAB) systems for stratospheric research and aerospace hardware validation. The project challenges student researchers to engineer flight-ready payloads capable of maintaining structural and electronic integrity in extreme temperatures and low-pressure environments in the stratosphere. Typically utilizing 600g latex balloons filled with helium, Project Minerva missions aim to achieve altitudes exceeding 22,000 meters to facilitate vertical atmospheric profiling of variables such as CO₂ concentration, humidity, temperature, and pressure. Beyond its technical objectives, the project serves as a professional training ground mirroring industry standards through the development of comprehensive Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), operations management, and strict adherence to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations for National Airspace System safety. Through this lifecycle of design, telemetry validation, and data analysis, Project Minerva provides a scalable platform for advancing undergraduate expertise in remote sensing, meteorology, and aerospace engineering.