Sonoma State Engineering Students Launch Solar-Powered Balloon That Circles the Globe
This Spring semester, two accomplished instructors in the Engineering Department at Sonoma State University, Professor Rob Rowlands and Professor Robert (Bob) Salter, guided students in the Radio Frequency Laboratory course to successfully launch the department’s first solar-powered high-altitude balloon on April 8th, 2026.
The non-permeable Pico balloon was kindly provided by Martin Rothfield. The lightweight system, powered by small solar cells, carries a low-power radio transmitter that continuously transmits position and telemetry data, allowing it to be tracked globally using weak-signal propagation (WSPR) techniques.
Since launch, students have been actively monitoring the balloon as it now circumnavigates the globe a 2nd time. To track SSU Balloon, visit AITIS Pico Balloon Live Track.
The balloon is currently above Japan on Monday evening (May 4th, 2026), approaching the Pacific Ocean for the second time. The solar-powered transmitter sends telemetry at 10-minute intervals, providing almost continuous real-time data and an exceptional hands-on learning experience in RF communication and atmospheric propagation.
Reflecting on the project, Professor Rowlands noted, “This is a great experience for engineering students to see real-world RF communication, propagation, and tracking in action beyond the classroom.”
Cole Montano, a senior engineering student participating in the course, added, “Being part of the Pico balloon launch was a really unique hands-on experience that brought RF communication concepts to life. It was really cool being able to track the balloon in real time as it moved across the country using WSPR. Overall, it helped connect what we learn in class to something real and happening live”.
Another student, Juan Jimenez, shared, “This project gave me hands-on experience with RF systems and showed me how concepts we learn in class apply to real-world engineering challenges.”
This experiment highlights the strength of the Engineering program at Sonoma State University, where students integrate theory with hands-on, real-world applications. Through projects like the solar-powered high-altitude balloon, students gain practical experience in RF communication, system design, and global tracking. As Professor Salter noted, “This experiment attests to the quality of the work students do at Sonoma State University, integrating skills, knowledge, and hands-on project applications.”
Congratulations to Professors Rowlands and Salter, along with the entire student team, on this outstanding achievement!