After the success of our first Near Space mission, CSTERC Techno Science LLP took another significant step towards building real-world space science capabilities with our second Near Space Satellite Payload Mission. This time, the mission was designed not only to study the atmosphere, but also to explore how biological samples respond to the extreme environment encountered during a journey towards near space.
Prepared for the Darwin Science Club, Salem, the mission brought together nearly 100 students from government schools across Tamil Nadu, giving young learners an opportunity to participate in a research-oriented space technology programme and experience the process of designing, preparing and launching a scientific payload.
From Atmospheric Science to Biological Research
The central objective of this mission was to investigate changes in single-cell biological samples during their ascent and descent through the atmosphere. The payload was designed to carry the biological samples while enabling researchers and students to examine changes in their cellular structures following exposure to the near-space environment.
Alongside the biological experiment, the payload carried a dedicated atmospheric parameter research sensor suite. The sensors were used to collect environmental data during the flight, allowing the mission to connect the biological observations with the atmospheric conditions experienced by the payload.
This combination of biological experimentation and atmospheric data collection represented an important progression in CSTERC’s Near Space programme. The mission was no longer simply about reaching high altitude—it was about using that journey as a platform for scientific investigation.
A Mission Designed with Students at Its Heart
One of the most important aspects of the mission was the participation of students. Around 100 students from government schools across Tamil Nadu became part of the programme.
For many of these students, space science is usually something experienced through textbooks, videos or classroom discussions. This programme offered them something fundamentally different: an opportunity to engage with an actual research mission.
Students were introduced to the fundamentals of payload development, scientific instrumentation, atmospheric research and biological experimentation. They could see how a scientific question is transformed into an experiment, how that experiment is integrated into a payload, and how the payload is finally taken into the near-space environment.
The experience was intended to demonstrate that meaningful scientific research is not restricted to large laboratories or established space agencies. With the right guidance, curiosity and engineering approach, students can also become part of the scientific process.
Reaching 38 Kilometres Above the Ground
The mission was launched from Bharath Matriculation School, Annur, Coimbatore, beginning its journey from Tamil Nadu towards the edge of near space.
The payload successfully reached an altitude of approximately 38 kilometres above the ground—an environment dramatically different from conditions at Earth’s surface. At this altitude, atmospheric pressure and temperature are significantly lower, providing an excellent natural laboratory for experiments involving atmospheric and biological responses.
After completing its ascent and descent, the payload returned to Earth and landed near Mannarkadu, Kerala. The recovery of the payload marked another important achievement for the CSTERC team and the students involved in the mission.
The recovery also meant that the scientific samples and mission data could be brought back for further analysis, completing the essential cycle of a research mission: design, launch, data collection, recovery and analysis.
Inspiring the Next Generation of Space Scientists
The mission was also an important demonstration of CSTERC’s broader vision for hands-on space science education.
Rather than presenting students with space technology merely as something developed by others, CSTERC aims to create opportunities where students can participate in the development and operation of experimental systems themselves.
The Near Space mission provided an opportunity to introduce students to concepts that span multiple disciplines—biology, atmospheric science, electronics, sensor technology, data acquisition, aerospace engineering and space research.
This multidisciplinary approach is at the heart of the kind of scientific education we want to build: education that moves beyond theory and encourages students to ask questions, design experiments and test their ideas in real environments.
A Mission Supported by Space Science Leaders
The programme was further strengthened by the presence of distinguished guests from the Indian space research community.
Dr. Srinivas, Scientist, ISRO, and Mr. Ingersol Selladurai, Former Group Director, Mahendragiri Liquid Propulsion Centre, ISRO, joined the programme as Chief Guests.
Their presence provided an important connection between the students’ experimental work and India’s wider space research ecosystem. Interactions with experienced scientists and engineers can have a lasting impact on young learners, helping them understand the possibilities of pursuing careers in science, engineering and space technology.
Building Towards More Ambitious Experiments
Reaching 38 kilometres was not simply an altitude achievement for CSTERC. It represented another step in our continuing effort to develop student-driven Near Space research missions.
The second mission demonstrated how a high-altitude platform can be used to bring together biological experiments, atmospheric measurements and space technology education within a single mission architecture.
Every mission gives us new technical experience, new scientific questions and new opportunities to improve our payload systems.
For CSTERC, the destination is not simply near space. The larger goal is to build the knowledge, technology and human capability required for the future of space research.
From classrooms to the stratosphere, this mission was another reminder that the journey towards space can begin with a question asked by a student.
