Students from our club are participating in the REXUS/BEXUS program once again.
In previous years, we participated in the REXUS program with the HEDGEHOG project, in the BEXUS program with the Stardust project, and in the ESA Academy program with the SlugG project. Thanks to the experience and knowledge of our predecessors, we have achieved another success.
At the turn of November and December, the STORMDUST project team went to the Selection Workshop for the 34th edition of the REXUS/BEXUS program to present their experiment at the European Space Technology Centre. They qualified for the program and will be building and testing their project under the supervision of experts from the space sector in the coming months. This process will include trips to training workshops at European Space Agency facilities and work in laboratories provided by Gdańsk University of Technology. The campaign will conclude with the release of the payload in a stratospheric balloon gondola from the Esrange Space Center in Sweden.
The STORMDUST project is an experiment developed by an interdisciplinary group from the SimLE scientific circle at Gdańsk University of Technology. Its main goal is to analyze the composition of the stratosphere based on volatile chemical compounds.
The experiment aims to make a significant contribution to our understanding of atmospheric chemistry and environmental science. By analyzing air samples using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, STORMDUST seeks to identify chemical compounds present in the stratosphere, determine their migration patterns, and understand their impact and connections with microorganisms found there. Jet streams, which carry significant masses of air, cause the spread of various chemical compounds and microorganisms across all continents. The stratosphere is a very unique area, and discovering its various properties is still ongoing. Research at high altitudes is crucial for understanding its chemical composition as well as its microbiome.
What is REXUS/BEXUS?
The REXUS/BEXUS program is implemented under a bilateral agency agreement between the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the Swedish National Space Agency (SNSA). The Swedish part of the payload has been made available to students from other European countries through cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA). EuroLaunch, a collaboration between the Swedish Space Corporation (SSC) and the DLR Mobile Rocket Base (MORABA), is responsible for campaign management and launch vehicle operations. Experts from DLR, SSC, ZARM, and ESA provide technical support to student teams throughout the project. REXUS and BEXUS are launched from SSC, Esrange Space Center in northern Sweden.