Shrewsbury primary pupils gather for 7am launch of weather balloon

Pupils from a Shropshire primary school gathered to launch their very own weather balloon.

Excitement was in the air at Coleham Primary School in Shrewsbury as pupils, families, staff and members of the local community gathered from 7am on Saturday to witness the launch from the school field.

The project, sponsored by educational science supplier Goexploro.com, saw students take an active role in every stage of the mission, from preparation and payload assembly to tracking and post-flight analysis.

Led by the school's Science Club and teaching staff, the Stratosphere Project featured a pupil-built data-logging payload carried high into the upper atmosphere by a weather balloon.

At the heart of the mission was an unusual pilot – Bernard the Pachycephalosaurus – who accompanied the scientific equipment on its journey to collect data on temperature, air pressure and altitude.

The project has been designed to bring STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) learning to life, giving pupils the opportunity to apply classroom knowledge to a real-world scientific investigation.

Following the launch, Headteacher Tom Larkham and his daughter Polly will use a GPS tracker to locate and recover the balloon and its valuable data wherever it lands over the weekend.

Video footage captured during the flight will be used to support future learning across the school.

Through Bernard's onboard camera, pupils hope to witness breathtaking views of Earth from the edge of space, including the curvature of the planet set against the darkness of the upper atmosphere.

With renewed public interest in space exploration following the Artemis missions, the project aims to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers and climate researchers.

The entire school community played a part in the mission.

Every pupil was invited to take part in a competition to design Bernard's Space Mission Badge, inspired by the mission patches traditionally worn by astronauts to represent and celebrate their space journeys.

The winning design, created by Alex Renshaw, captured the mission perfectly and has become the official emblem of Bernard's adventure.

Rory Whitehead, founder of Goexploro.com, said: "We believe exploration is one of the most powerful ways to learn. Supporting Coleham Primary School aligns perfectly with our mission to encourage curiosity, discovery and hands-on education. We're excited to help these students reach new heights – literally."

Headteacher Mr Larkham added: "I have a real interest in space and stargazing, and this project has given our Science Club and the wider community an opportunity to engage with science in an unforgettable way. We're thankful to Goexploro.com and the Whitehead family for helping us turn this idea into reality.

“Will the mission be a success, we hope so. There’s only so much you can practice beforehand. Filling the balloon with helium is one thing you can only do at the time of launch so it’s a bit of an unknown factor.

“The first time we attempted this several years ago we didn’t fill the balloon up enough and it only just made it over the nearby trees. We also lost its signal so it was lost for three months but it was eventually found - on an island off the coast of the Netherlands!”

Goexploro.com, a manufacturer and supplier of educational science resources, provided the helium that made the launch possible. The company is dedicated to inspiring curiosity and exploration through practical, hands-on learning experiences.

Once the balloon and payload have been recovered, Coleham Primary School plans to share the results, images and scientific findings with the wider community, showcasing the successes, discoveries and lessons learned from this exciting high-altitude adventure.

For updates on the balloon - and Bernard, check out the school’s website.