The phrase “nothing comes for free” perfectly reflects the financial reality of stratospheric missions, especially when it comes to electronics and technical infrastructure. This project is no exception. Some of the most expensive elements include:
- helium
- balloon filling equipment
- balloon envelopes
- cameras (360° and GoPro)
- transportation to the launch site in Spain and recovery-related expenses
- a backup satellite tracker with subscription service
Of course, these are only part of the expenses required to carry out a mission of this kind. Fortunately, many of them are one-time investments, as a significant portion of the equipment such as the cameras, tracker, and most of the electronics, can be reused in future projects. Nevertheless, for a first attempt requiring the purchase of all essential components, it still represents a considerable investment.
It is also important to take into account that some of the most expensive resources must be purchased in larger quantities or volumes. This mainly applies to helium and balloon envelopes. Due to the unique nature of the mission whic h is observing and recording a total solar eclipse, several test flights will be necessary before the final launch. This naturally means purchasing additional balloon envelopes and larger amounts of helium.
The final flight itself will also be more expensive than a standard mission. Again, considering the uniqueness of the event, I plan to prepare backups for critical components such as the balloon envelope and helium supply. My goal is to have two balloon envelopes and twice the required amount of helium available in order to minimize the risk of failure.
With all of this in mind, I decided (similarly to my very first stratospheric mission) to launch a fundraising campaign
STAN 2 Crowdfunding campaign – Recording a Total Solar Eclipse from 30 km Altitude
I truly hope there will be people willing to contribute even a small part toward the success of this project, so that together we may later enjoy the results this mission will bring.
To conclude this post, I believe the phrase “grain by grain, a measure is filled” perfectly captures the spirit of this fundraiser. I hope that, step by step and contribution by contribution, we will be able to achieve success together.
See you in the next chapter, which I hope will already focus on the technical side of the project and preparations for the August flight (articles about Geiger-Muller counter and LoRa module are already in preparation phase).