Common Read: Projects, Lessons, & Activities

The Locations Behind the True Story of 'Hidden Figures'

• Although the story takes place between Virginia and Cape Canaveral, the filming for the movie was all done in Georgia, mainly in and around Atlanta.

Places of Hidden Figures: Black Women Mathematicians in Aeronautics and the Space Race

• African American women played a critical role in the Space Race and rose to new heights as mathematicians, computer programmers, team project leads, and engineers at NASA. This article features properties in the National Register of Historic Places that are related to their stories.

Photo Courtesy of the Zaius Project, EM2

How to Send A GoPro to Space with a Weather Balloon

Everything you need to know to send GoPros (or any payload, really) to space! Let’s start with the overview video.

Free Near-Space Resources

1. Simulate Flight Paths: Predict the path of their near-space launch by running simulations.

   1. Flight Path Prediction Walk-Through

2. Design and Select Components: Properly size the various components (parachute, balloon, etc.).

   1. Parachute Size Estimator Tool

   2. Laws and Regulations

   3. FAA Drone Registration for High Altitude Balloons

   4. Launch and Preparation Checklists

   5. DIY List of Weather Balloon Kit Materials

3. Select the Right Tracker: Select and implement the proper tracking method based on budget.

   1. Balloon Tracking and Recovery Methods

4. Capture Video and Pictures: Capture stunning, high-resolution videos and pictures at the edge of space.

   1. Camera Options for Near-Space Balloon Missions

5. Follow step-by-step instructions to do your very own balloon launch

   1. Download our free near-space user guide here.

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For more information about the 2022 Common Read, contact Marcia Addison, maddison@starkstate.edu or Sara Klink, sklink@starkstate.edu 

There are many ways to build and launch homemade rockets. Take a look at a few examples below.