Solar Eclipse 2017
Total eclipses are rare and very impactful events. For those who have witnessed them, it is a memory they keep forever. The NASA Space Grant network is in a unique position to engage the public in an awe-inspiring and educational way and for surprisingly small cost. Students will conduct high altitude balloon (HAB) flights from around 25 locations across the 8/21/2017 total eclipse path, from Oregon to South Carolina, sending live video and images from near space to the NASA website. While the cost of conducting HAB flights is low, there are interesting challenges presented by this highly collaborative effort. These challenges are broad – technical, political, administrative – and present an amazing hands-on learning opportunity for the students who participate. Several potentially long lasting partnerships with other federal agencies and with industry will develop. Several partnerships, including with ATA Aerospace, which conducted the Red Bull Stratos flight, are already in progress. Website: http://eclipse.montana.edu/