Pre-Announcement of
NASA’s
Minnesota Space Grant Consortium
Solar Eclipse Balloon
Intercollegiate Challenge
2022-2023
More details September 2022
In the 2022-2023 school year the Minnesota Space Grant Consortium will run an Eclipse-Ballooning Payload Intercollegiate Challenge.
Challenge: Propose then develop a stratospheric spacecraft (AKA a “payload”) to study aspects of a solar eclipse, to be test flown (above Minnesota) on April 8, 2023, one year in advance of the 2024 eclipse. Rain (or snow!) or shine!
![](https://www.mnspacegrant.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Eclipse-Totality-Map-2024-April-08.png)
Top Prize: The winning payload will be carried on a Minnesota Space Grant Consortium stratospheric balloon flight into the path of totality during the actual eclipse on April 8, 2024. Members of the winning team may travel too ($ not part of the prize).
![](https://www.mnspacegrant.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Eclipse-Shadow-from-balloon-2017-August.png)