Hello everyone!

It’s a little bit we don’t update our website with the latest news.. yes, we were busy, busy and busy … and we apologize for this long absence!

Anyway this allows us to update you on the several news of the experiment and the team!

The results obtained from the analysis of the data collected during the flight have been very satisfactory! We reconstructed the trajectory and attitude of the gondola, validated the atmospheric models by the measurements of the MarsTem prototype; in addition the analyses performed introduced some original changes and improvements to the new design of the sensor which will fly on Mars in 2016!

Within the team great news!! Master degree in Aerospace Engineering for our senior student members: Seba, Chiara, Gio graduated in March, Ire graduated at the end of October! Three of them developed their thesis on different aspects of the experiment!

We must also thank our recent sponsor, Rotary Club Valle dell’Agno, for his support!

At the moment we are working on the preparation of the paper that will allow us to present our experiment and the results obtained to the scientific community!!!

The paper will be presented during the 21st PAC symposium of the European Space Agency on European Rocket and Balloon Programmes and Related Research, which will take place between 9 and 13 June in Thun (Switzerland) at the KKThun. The symposium is organized and sponsored by the European Space Agency (ESA), the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich), Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU), and the Swiss Federal State as the hosting country.

We’ll be in touch soon!

Hello everybody!

Here we are, come back home after an exciting launch campaign at the swedish rocket and balloon base of ESRANGE (Kiruna)!

Our MISSUS experiment was successfully launched on-board BEXUS 15 on September 25th 2012 at 10.18 UTC (12.18 LT) together with the other European teams’ experiments AMES (France), BioDos (Hungary) e SolSpecTre (Germany).

BEXUS 15 reached an altitude of 25,4 km! The payload landed in Finland after about 20 minutes from the cut-down.

Our experiment collected meteorological and gondola attitude data by means the on-board sensors for more than 4 hours of flight! It’s really an amazing and great result, if we think that an year ago was just an idea in our mind!

But it’s not over yet! Now starts a detailed analysis of the collected data: from the temperature detected by the Mars prototype sensor to the pressure, the magnetic field and the attitude, velocity and acceleration of the gondola (Just to say a few!)

A special thanks to Eng. Antonio Selmo, for his sympathy, but especially for his “electronics” help in the implementation of the experiment and during the days of preparation just before the launch!

Thanks also to all the experts of SSC, ESA and DLR who helped us in these days!

Soon will be available a selection of the launch pictures!

Stay tuned, because we still have a lot to tell!

Countdown has started about 3 hours ago!
The BX15 gondola has already picked up by Hercules crane and in a few minutes all the experiments will be switched on!

Check out:
Livestream from the “Cathedral” building in ESRANGE (Kiruna)
Balloon path
Ballon altitude
Facebook page for photos and real time updates

Gondola pick up

Today Bexus 14 has been launched and the next launch opportunity is our turn, Bexus 15!
We are looking forward to start the countdown! Just a few hours from now to send our little baby MISSUS in the stratosphere!
Tomorrow our waking up is really early in the morning, before 6 o’ clock!

All well for the MISSUS Team and for MISSUS experiment, both arrived safely in ESRANGE, Kiruna!
Today, Launch campaign of BX1415 has started and the work has began in the “Cathedral”!
Yes, “Cathedral” not for prayers, (we hope) it’s the name of the building where we are working, checking, assembling, testing MISSUS experiment before the launch on the balloon!
Check on facebook our latest pictures and stay updated!
Tomorrow wake up time 7.30!

MISSUS is traveling to ESRANGE, in Kiruna!
Our experiment is ready for launch, which will take place between 24 and 30 September.

Here you can see some new pictures showing the calibration of the IMU!

MISSUS ready for shipment!

A few minutes before the MISSUS’ departure

Check out our new photo gallery with beautiful images of sensors and the integration process!!

MISSUS TEM fully integrated!

Photo gallery!

Work in progress for the Missus Team during this summer!

We performed our IPR (Integration Progress Review) last week, on the 3rd of August, at the Department of Mechanical Engineer in Padova with Mr Mikael Inga from the Swedish Space Corporation. Mr Inga is the payload manager for the BEXUS-15 flight and he evaluated the status of our experiment for the IPR milestone; the final result is: IPR pass! The work is going on, getting closer to the next step! Stay tuned!

Here a few pictures that show the integration of the Temperature sensor and the final result!