The ASTRO program was created in 2004 by the NASA Oklahoma Space Grant Consortium and Oklahoma State University.  The program is housed within the OSU School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering in Stillwater Oklahoma.

The program provides low-cost access to the space environment for small payloads through the use of high-altitude sounding balloons.  Payload integration, launch, tracking, and recovery services are provided by ASTRO.  A variety of payloads have been launched since 2004 including student instructional payloads, as well as research payloads.

Below are several pictures with captions from an ASTRO flight.

For more information please contact Dr. Andrew Arena (aarena@okstate.edu)

ASTRO-09 preparation prior to launch. 

Another picture of the typical ASTRO payload train from ASTRO-12.  In order from top to bottom: Parachute, parachute ring, primary tracking system, secondary tracking system, photography payload, Cosmic Radiation Detector payload.

Balloon and payloads just after launch of ASTRO-09. 

View of the ASTRO Primary Launch site from the balloon. (Note launch crew members in the foreground)

Picture of the ASTRO-12 balloon from the ground.  Under good conditions, the balloon is visible to the naked eye.  Balloon was over 98,000 ft, and 10 miles downrange. (Photo taken with Pentax k20d camera with lens at max. 250mm zoom.)

Picture taken on ASTRO-09 flight just before balloon burst at 104,000 ft.  Outside air temperature is -60F and pressure is near-vacuum.

Picture of the early morning sun above Oklahoma on ASTRO-12.  Photo taken from 98,514 ft.