Project Sober

Project Sober

A proposal for the European Space Agency’s Balloon Experiments for University Students programme, focused on space object brightness evaluation and reference from a stratospheric balloon.

Project S.O.B.E.R. Shortlisted for BEXUS Program!

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We’re thrilled to share some exciting news: our project, Space Object Brightness Evaluation and Reference (S.O.B.E.R.), has been shortlisted for the ESA REXUS/BEXUS program (Cycle 16)!

Two months ago, five of us—Gurpreet Singh (University of Waterloo), Vithurshan Suthakar (York University), Melina Kübler (Technische Universität Darmstadt), Joost Hubbard (Queen Mary University of London), and Barnabás Jenofi (Luiss Business School Amsterdam)—came together after participating in ESA Academy’s Space Debris Training Course at ESEC-Galaxia. Building on the knowledge and inspiration gained during the course, we developed a proposal for a stratospheric balloon experiment addressing the challenges posed by space debris.

Project S.O.B.E.R. aims to measure the brightness and thermal emissions of Resident Space Objects (RSOs) at high altitudes to evaluate their impact on dark skies. This mission aligns with ESA’s debris mitigation policies, promoting space sustainability. By using advanced infrared sensors provided by our partner Telops and collaborating with ABB for enhanced data analysis, we’re pushing the boundaries of space debris research.

After months of hard work, our team was invited to present our proposal at ESA/ESTEC to a panel of industry experts. This incredible opportunity is a testament to the dedication of the entire team and the guidance of our academic advisors:

  • Professor Franz Newland (University of Ottawa)
  • Professor Steven Young (University of Waterloo)
  • Professor Jean-Pierre Hickey (University of Waterloo)
  • Dr. Vitali Braun (IMS Space Consultancy GmbH / ESA Space Debris Office)
  • Professor Regina Lee (York University)

A heartfelt thank you to York University for providing access to critical testing facilities.

We’re eager to continue our journey with Team S.O.B.E.R. and can’t wait to share more updates as we progress toward making our vision a reality.

Stay tuned and join us in celebrating this milestone!

#SpaceDebris #SpaceSustainability #REXUSBEXUS #ESA #DarkSkies #TeamSOBER