Balloon Burst

This photograph was captured at about 83,000 feet during the Aerospace Experimental Association's Mission 3, a high-altitude balloon launch conducted in Fall 2024 at Florida Atlantic University. Taken from a GoPro mounted on the top of the payload and aimed straight upward, the image shows the moment the balloon burst at the edge of space. Shreds of the balloon scatter outward against the dark sky as the horizon of Earth curves below, with layers of stratus clouds stretching across Florida. This flight tested a new paraglider parachute system, designed to steer itself to a designated landing zone after balloon burst. Using GPS guidance and onboard control, the system adjusted its direction like a pilot controlling a glider canopy. The photograph captures both the beauty and intensity of the transition between ascent and descent, when the payload briefly hovers in freefall before returning home.