Malta’s first space balloon let off into the skies

Malta’s first space balloon, the Stratos-1, was let off into the skies to capture never-seen-before aerial and space photos of the islands that will enable scientists to carry out studies of the Mediterranean stratosphere.

The balloon soared 37km above Malta, collecting information about the atmospheric conditions, the depth of the seas and the health of its vegetation to provide one of the island’s first hyperspectral images — an exact map of the area.

The launch from Esplora at Villa Bighi followed the signing of a three-year collaboration between the Research and Innovation Ministry and the University of Malta, through its Institute of Space Sciences and Astronomy (ISSA), to make space more accessible.

“This is another first for Malta. We are working towards the development of more human capital in the space sector, and we look forward to introducing further opportunities for industrial and educational institutions to participate in,” Minister for Equality, Research and Innovation Owen Bonnici said.

The operation, coordinated by the Space Task Force, has required the expertise of the Civil Aviation Authority and the Armed Forces of Malta, which have joined the Ministry and ISSA’s team to coordinate the rescue of the camera and its photos.

The camera is equipped with a GPS device provided by Medcomms Ltd, which works in areas where there is no mobile phone coverage to relay the real-time position of the spacecraft as it descends.

“We want to inspire young children - especially girls - to embark on a career in sciences while evoking their curiosity about our celestial wonders,” ISSA founder Prof. Kristian Zarb Adami said. 

“ISSA, which has been active in the field of space research for almost a decade, continues to work tirelessly to inspire the younger and older generations alike to look toward the heavens.” 

Prof. Zarb Adami also welcomed the ministry’s decision to sponsor a PhD, which will look into the information gathered from this launch and produce the first scientifically important data from the stratosphere.