4 November 2024

Engineering students at Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences return after an extraordinary experience in northern Sweden and start the new semester with new knowledge and experience.

The BEXUS-ARESONUS team successfully conducted a challenging experiment on the BX 35 stratospheric balloon at the Esrange Space Centre and returned with valuable scientific findings.

Funded by the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), the Swedish National Space Agency (SNSA), the European Space Agency (ESA), ZARM Bremen and the Swedish Space Corporation (SSC), the students collected data on infrasound, a sound range that is inaudible to the human ear. The experiment, which was carried out on 2 October, also included measurements of temperature, pressure and acceleration. The stratospheric balloon reached an impressive altitude of 27,800 metres, three times the cruising altitude of commercial aircraft. During the flight, the minimum outside temperature was minus 72.2 °C and the minimum air pressure was measured at 15.4 mbar. The balloon finally landed in Finland.

"The project not only significantly improved our expertise, but also our teamwork skills. It was an incomparable experience," summarises the five-person team, consisting of Niclas Bierwisch, Sabine Köhler, Sven Malag, Ria Bele Pohley and Johann Stiebritz. The students are accompanied by Prof. Viehmann and Prof. Neitzke, who value this project as a practical highlight of engineering and are eagerly awaiting the results of the upcoming data analyses.

With the BEXUS-ARESONUS project, Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences is continuing its successful series of scientific aerospace experiments and strengthening its position in the European education and research landscape.