Local project · Space
Satelicos
Teams of young people in Zaragoza design experiments that fly to the stratosphere on a weather balloon
About the project
Satelicos. Exploradores de la estratosfera (‘Stratosphere explorers’) is a science and outreach project for young people aged 14 to 19 in the city of Zaragoza. Each team designs, builds and documents a small capsule carrying an experiment that can travel on a weather balloon to the stratosphere, at an altitude of around 30,000 metres.
It is organised by Zaragoza City Council, through its Youth Service (Zaragoza Joven), the University of Zaragoza and Fundación Ibercivis. The first edition runs during the 2026-2027 school year.
Satelicos is supported by Servet, the weather balloon project run by Ibercivis and the Aragon Institute of Engineering Research (I3A) at the University of Zaragoza. The Servet team, which has carried out twelve launches with experiments from schools and members of the public, trains the adults who accompany the teams and handles the technical side of the flight.
The teams go through every stage of a real stratospheric mission: they choose the objective, design the capsule, integrate the components, test the system, prepare the launch, analyse the data and communicate the results. No previous knowledge is needed, just curiosity and a willingness to work as a team.
Project objectives
- Learn by doing and bring science and technology closer to real situations.
- Apply scientific and technical knowledge to come up with creative solutions.
- Become familiar with research methodology.
- Gain or strengthen knowledge of technology, physics, programming, electronics and data analysis.
- Work as a team and improve oral, written and visual communication.
- Encourage creativity and critical thinking.
How it works
- Call for applications. Teams of 3 to 7 young people aged 14 to 19, not at university, who are registered as residents of Zaragoza or study at a school in the city, apply together with a responsible adult (a teacher or mentor). Teams may come from Zaragoza Joven, schools, schools offering the Research and Excellence Baccalaureate, associations, maker spaces, after-school groups or other youth organisations.
- Training. The adults responsible for the teams receive 10 hours of theory and 10 hours of hands-on labs in electronics, sensors, programming, prototyping and documentation, with online support. In-person sessions take place at La Azucarera, the home of Zaragoza Joven, and can also be followed remotely.
- Selection. Each team submits a scientific and technical report and presents its project to a panel made up of the three organisations. Up to six experiments are chosen.
- Launch. After a final technical check, the selected capsules fly on the weather balloon. Afterwards, each team documents its results in a final report, which is published openly.
Which experiments can fly
STEAM experiments designed for a flight lasting one to three hours: measurements of temperature, pressure, humidity, radiation, light or sound; photography and video; how materials behave in cold, low pressure or solar radiation; tracking and telemetry systems; safe physical, chemical or biological experiments; and artistic projects with a technological basis.
Each capsule weighs no more than 300 grams and measures no more than 30 × 30 × 30 cm. It must run for at least four hours and withstand the cold, the low pressure and the landing. The organisers provide the balloon’s basic telemetry (position, altitude, temperature and pressure) and LoRaWAN coverage where possible. As recovery of the capsules is not guaranteed, each team is advised to transmit or duplicate its data.
The role of Ibercivis
Together with the University of Zaragoza, Ibercivis forms the technical team in charge of the launch. Between them, the two organisations set the technical and safety requirements for the capsules, choose and approve the launch site, simulate the trajectory, study the weather, obtain the aviation permits and carry out the launch, tracking and recovery of the balloon.
Ibercivis also buys the flight equipment and arranges the insurance, manages the teacher training, handles the project’s finances and sits on the selection panel.
Gallery
Project details
Type of project
Local · Zaragoza
Duration
2026-2027 school year
Organisers
Zaragoza City Council (Youth Service), University of Zaragoza and Fundación Ibercivis
Funding
Zaragoza City Council, through an agreement with the University of Zaragoza and Fundación Ibercivis
Related project
Servet
Area
Space