The NAASC and the BallooNAASC project: an immersion in aerospace

A stratospheric balloon project: BallooNAASC

At the heart of aerospace innovation in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, NAASC* plays a key role in bringing together students, teachers, scientists, and industry professionals around ambitious projects. Among these is sending a satellite into space in 2026!

To achieve this goal, students are welcomed into a professional environment and supervised to develop their practical skills in the space sector, which are essential for their future careers as engineers. During their training, they can work on flagship NAASC initiatives such as the BallooNAASC project.

This project, led by engineering students Arts et Métiers Bordeaux-Talence campus, aims to develop, launch, and recover a stratospheric balloon carrying various scientific experiments, in collaboration with ENSEIRB-MATMECA-Bordeaux INP, ESTIA, and Gustave Eiffel High School.

Before embarking on the design phase, the students received rigorous guidance from four scientists. A documentary research phase enabled them to exploit the data accumulated by previous classes. They were able to structure their work by appointing a project manager, assigning responsibilities, and setting up communication tools to ensure effective monitoring. They then scaled the onboard experiments while monitoring the total mass of the gondola, requiring continuous coordination with all partners.

Among these experiments is an IoT (Internet of Things) module on the satellite, which will be tested in operational conditions, particularly over long distances (several hundred kilometers).
Gustave Eiffel High School will analyze sound intensity at altitude and track the balloon's trajectory using an accelerometer and a gyroscope. As for Arts et Métiers, the experiment aims to measure wind intensity and speed at altitude using a wind vane and Pitot probes, calibrated in the campus wind tunnel.

The balloon was launched on April 9, 2025, by AJSEP, professionals fromArianeGroup on behalf of Planète-Science and CNES. The balloon rose to an altitude of 15 km before descending by parachute, allowing the gondola to be recovered and the data collected to be analyzed later.

A unique experience for Arts et Métiers engineering students

Participating in a project such as BallooNAASC is an enriching experience for Arts et Métiers engineering students. It allows them to immerse themselves in the field of space by confronting them with concrete issues such as mechanical design, embedded programming, energy management, and telemetry. It also develops their project management, teamwork, and communication skills, which are essential in an interdisciplinary environment.

Participating in this type of initiative is a real asset for their future careers in aerospace and aeronautics. It allows them to contribute to large-scale scientific experiments, but also to prepare for the demands of the sector while benefiting from an immersive and practical experience. The visibility of the project is further enhanced by posts on social media and the production of a short film documenting the entire process.

The NAASC's location on the Arts et Métiers campus Arts et Métiers Bordeaux-Talence is an advantage for the institution, as it encourages the emergence of projects such as BallooNAASC and acts as a gateway to more ambitious initiatives such as the development of nanosatellites. Thanks to this structure, engineering students can benefit from an environment conducive to innovation and privileged access to the resources they need to bring their ideas to fruition. This partnership strengthens Arts et Métiers position Arts et Métiers a key player in aerospace training in Nouvelle-Aquitaine.