SKY Academy Students Launch Weather Balloon That Circles Globe in 17 Days

Englewood REVIEW covers the remarkable journey of a student-built weather balloon that traveled over 24,000 miles around the world.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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Students at SKY Academy in Englewood, led by their STEM teacher J.T. Tremaine and guided by the Englewood Amateur Radio Society (EARS), launched a weather balloon on February 19, 2026. The 22-inch wide "Pico" balloon, equipped with a radio transmitter to track altitude, speed, temperature, humidity and GPS, circled the globe in just 17 days, traveling over 24,000 miles at speeds up to 170 mph.

Why it matters

This hands-on science project gave SKY Academy students real-world experience in meteorology and amateur radio technology. The data collected by the balloon is also being used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to improve weather forecasting. The successful circumnavigation of the globe highlights the capabilities of small, inexpensive weather balloons and the ingenuity of the student team.

The details

The weather balloon was launched from SKY Academy on February 19 and encountered some initial challenges, including a downdraft that made the launch dramatic. But within five hours, the balloon was cruising at 42,000 feet. Over the next 16 days, it traveled an epic 24,385 miles around the world, at times reaching speeds of 170 mph. The balloon used an amateur radio technology called WSPR (Weak Signal Propagation Reporter) to transmit its location, rather than relying on satellites. This allowed the balloon's progress to be tracked in real-time by EARS members as well as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

  • The weather balloon was launched from SKY Academy on February 19, 2026.
  • Five hours after launch, the balloon was cruising at 42,000 feet.
  • On March 5, 2026, the balloon passed over northern Florida after 16 days of travel.
  • As of March 9, 2026, the balloon was still circling the globe.

The players

SKY Academy

A school in Englewood where students launched the weather balloon as part of a STEM project.

J.T. Tremaine

The STEM teacher at SKY Academy who led the students in the weather balloon project.

Englewood Amateur Radio Society (EARS)

A local amateur radio group that guided the SKY Academy students and helped track the weather balloon's progress.

Bill Reed

The president of the Englewood Amateur Radio Society who provided details about the balloon's technology and journey.

Noah

A SKY Academy student who was excited about the hands-on learning experience of the weather balloon project.

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What they’re saying

“We get to learn a lot about the weather and how the wind affects aircraft, weather and stuff like that.”

— Noah, SKY Academy student (Englewood REVIEW)

“The balloon is a high-altitude Pico balloon, just 15 grams with a tiny radio transmitter. It tracks altitude, speed, temperature, humidity, and GPS coordinates.”

— Bill Reed, President, Englewood Amateur Radio Society (Englewood REVIEW)

What’s next

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will continue to track the weather balloon and use the data it collects to improve weather forecasting. The SKY Academy students and EARS members plan to launch additional weather balloons in the future to further their meteorology research.

The takeaway

This student-led weather balloon project demonstrates the power of hands-on STEM education and the ability of small, inexpensive technology to make significant scientific contributions. The collaboration between SKY Academy and the Englewood Amateur Radio Society has inspired the next generation of meteorologists and engineers.