Concord Jr High School students launch balloon into space

Students at Concord Junior High School launched a weather balloon Friday morning in an attempt to reach outer space. The goal for students of Mr Jerlecki's tech lab was to lift the balloon and its payload above 100 thousand feet. The payload included a go-pro camera and a few experimental items that included ping pong balls, gummy bears and even a cheeseburger

When asked what might happen in the experiment, student representative Jackira Sheppard  said " I think the gummy bear might freeze and probably shrink or it might probably expand." and classmate Erika Toops, " I'm hoping the cheeseburger explodes"

Student had to research the layers of the atmosphere, and the effects of pressure and temperature with elevation. Indiana oxygen donated the helium for the balloon. After the launch a group of students along with Mr Jerlecki got on a bus to track down the balloon after it popped. The payload was expected to fall near Sturgis Michigan.

The balloon ended up going much farther than that, 65 miles from Concord in Albion, Michigan. The balloon reached an altitude of 114,000 feet, almost 22 miles up, well into the stratosphere. The balloon popped as it expanded in the lower air pressure. 

Click here to watch the video of the balloon at it's peak height, it pops around the eight minute mark.