Photo from December 2018 launch at Pella Christian.

The Great Plains Super Launch Symposium met this past weekend in Pella. Fifty high altitude balloon amateur radio enthusiasts gathered to share experiences, best practices and new technologies with the group. The event was hosted by the Pella Amateur Radio Club. Bill Brown developed the concept of launching balloons with GPS technology, which has been demonstrated at schools across the country and locally, introducing students of all levels to hands on science and technology concepts through the use of high altitude balloons. He says this is the main mission for those who participate. Students build experiments designed to measure various characteristics at altitudes over 100,000 feet above sea level. The symposium ended with balloons launched and recovered Saturday morning at Pella Christian High School.