STEAM Night: Balloon Building - Fabrication and Beyond

When

Where

Description

STEAM Night at the Balloon Museum is an evening event for curious minds of all ages, exploring themes that relate to science, technology, engineering, art, or math (STEAM) of ballooning.

Are you curious about how hot air balloons are made? Would you like to learn about constructing a balloon of your own? Come Explore the how-tos of building a balloon in the 21st century and learn about new technology being developed by local enthusiasts to help balloons fly higher, farther, and smarter.

This event will include:

• live demonstrations with local balloon innovators and builders,
• tinker challenges for all ages;
•  balloon-themed craft activities;
•  "Building a Balloon Envelope," a lecture and demonstration by balloon pilot and fabricator, Jonathan Wolfe;
•  music by DJ Valdez;
•  food from The Munchie Truck;
•  and remote control balloons (RC) (weather permitting).

6:30pm Field Expert Lecture in the Anderson Theater:

How to Sew a Balloon Envelope, presented by Jonathan Wolfe. 

Jonathan is a person who makes dreams into reality. The cost of buying a hot air balloon can make the idea of owning and flying one feel like an unobtainable dream for the average person. That challenge inspired Jonathan Wolfe, owner and creator of the Fractal balloon, to explore the craft of building his own. He is enthusiastic about sharing his journey and passionate about helping youths and adults obtain the skills they need to build their own full-scale hot air balloons. Join Jonathan for a live demonstration on sewing and constructing a balloon envelope. 

Live Demonstrations:

Next Generation Controls for RC Balloons

Live demonstrations led by Mark Soo Hoo.Mark and his team have been working on an array of high tech improvements for remote control (RC) balloons. His inventions include an RC balloon controller operated from an iPhone, infrared temperature sensors, 360-degree cameras, and more.

Next Generation Controls for RC Balloons

Live demonstrations led by Mark Soo Hoo.Mark and his team have been working on an array of high tech improvements for remote control (RC) balloons. His inventions include an RC balloon controller operated from an iPhone, infrared temperature sensors, 360-degree cameras, and more.

Science Heads “Reaching for the Sky” (Solar Balloons)

Demonstrations by Daniel Small with Science Heads. “Reaching for the Sky,” is a high-altitude balloon program is bringing unique opportunities for experiencing big science to local Albuquerque schools.  Students participate in building a solar balloon envelope that is over 20 feet in diameter and then get to launch it into the stratosphere. The solar, high altitude, balloon (SHAB) collects atmospheric data, video imagery, and exposes seeds to environmental conditions similar to Mars.  These seeds are then used in growth experiments to show the impact of the exposure to extreme weather conditions. 

Exploring CubeSat Technology: Bringing Space Science to the Classroom

Demonstrations being led by Brendajulissa Diaz, who is part of Teachers in Space (TIS) project. This session introduces CubeSat technology and its applications in education. Learn how these small, modular satellites are designed, built, and launched, and discover hands-on strategies for engaging students in real-world STEM problem-solving through CubeSat.

 LTAgo! Navigation

Demonstrations led by Zerek Welz, balloon pilot (Guilty). LTAgo is a balloon navigation app for competition pilots. This app overlays live wind data directly onto a map, so pilots can see at a glance which direction the wind is blowing at various altitudes and plan their moves accordingly. It also tracks wind patterns throughout a flight, building a running log of the best winds the pilot has encountered — essentially a cheat sheet for where to go next.