Balloon Sat

Balloon Sat is an ultralight satellite concept designed to be hung from a small helium balloon, lifting a tiny self-powered payload into the sky. The entire craft is built around minimizing mass: a featherweight frame, two tiny solar panels for power, and a Raspberry Pi Zero — the smallest Raspberry Pi computer — as the flight computer.

Power system — Two miniature solar panels supply the payload, sized to keep the Pi Zero and its sensors running for the full flight while adding almost no weight. Power budgeting drives every design decision, from component selection to the software duty cycle.

Flight computer — The Raspberry Pi Zero handles data logging, sensor readout and telemetry. Its low power draw and tiny footprint make it ideal for a balloon-hung payload where every gram matters.

Status — This project is upcoming: the concept and architecture are defined, and component selection and structural design are next. Planned payload goals include altitude tracking, environmental sensing and photo capture from the edge of the sky.