2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

High Altitude Robotic Monkey

Presented at Aerospace Division (AERO) Technical Session 3 - Student Papers 2

This Work In Progress paper is about a high altitude ballooning payload involving long distance robotics communications. In 2018, as part of a NASA-funded student project, undergraduate students developed a robotic monkey which successfully operated on a 2000-gram high-altitude balloon (HAB) and flew to an altitude of 4,000 feet and a range of 12 miles. The robot, named HAM (for “High Altitude Monkey”), moves, speaks, and broadcasts live video while in flight. Its purpose was to interact with K-12 students on the ground as an educational tool to teach “Near Space” science. That robot is now part of the university’s mobile laboratory (STEM bus), which travels to local area schools and community events around the state, promoting near space research and STEM education.

In the academic year 2024-2025, a new group of interdisciplinary engineering and computer science students will build an enhanced robot and resume its high-altitude ballooning flights. A major enhancement to the robot’s flight control payload is the addition of a controllable and autonomous vent. The vent is attached to the high-altitude balloon itself and can be opened or closed to release helium, allowing the balloon to remain at a specified altitude and enabling altitude-controlled termination of the flight. Additionally, the vent system will enable the payload to stay near the ground station site, supporting better live stream transmission and reception.

The target for this project is to launch HAM to 15,000 feet and travel approximately 20 miles while maintaining a direct live feed for the entire flight. A team of undergraduate and graduate students will have the opportunity to perform fundamental research in developing this payload. The successful completion of HAM will support the use of robotics in near-space applications as well as research on long-distance communications and transmissions. The outcomes from this project will be disseminated through demonstrations on the university’s mobile laboratory for K-12 students and through peer-reviewed publications.

Authors

Mr. Huy Trung Huong http://orcid.org/0009-0007-5440-4587 University of Bridgeport [biography]

Huy Huong is a current undergraduate student at the University of Bridgeport, Bridgeport, Connecticut. Huong is receiving his BSc in Computer Science and Mathematics, with an expected matriculation date of May 2025. He currently serves as an undergraduate researcher at the Extreme Environments Laboratory for the School of Engineering under the direction of Dr.Jani M Pallis.
Miss Sushma Gudi University of Bridgeport [biography]

Sushma Gudi is a Computer Science Engineering Assistant at University of Bridgeport, where she also earned her master's degree in computer science in May 2024. She has contributed to NASA balloon missions and is currently working on two innovative projects: a robotic monkey designed for near-space exploration and a remote-controlled submarine for underwater research. Her work combines 3D printing, robotics, and data analysis. She is also involved in ongoing solar radiation research in collaboration with NEBP. Her skills include programming in Python and C#, as well as developing navigation and control systems.
Mr. Vamsi Sripada University of Bridgeport [biography]

Vamsi Sripada is a Engineering Assistant at University Of Bridgeport, Bridgeport, Connecticut. Vamsi's work is related to Electrical and Electronic Systems focused on the projects in Extreme Environment Lab under the supervision of Dr. Jani Pallis and received his MSc in Electrical engineering Degree in Dec 2023.
Mr. Juan David Urrea Vargas University of Bridgeport [biography]

Juan David Urrea Vargas is a current undergraduate student at the University of Bridgeport, Bridgeport, Connecticut. Urrea Vargas is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Mathematics, with an expected matriculation date of May 2025. He currently serves as an undergraduate researcher at the Extreme Environments Laboratory for the School of Engineering under the direction of Dr. Jani M. Pallis. He will begin his Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Bridgeport in Fall 2025.
Mr. Mohammad Omar AL-Torzi University of Bridgeport [biography]

Mohammad Al-Torzi received his Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Bridgeport. His academic background includes research in mechanical systems, design, and experimental methods in extreme environments.
Miss Karissa Bird University of Bridgeport [biography]

Karissa Bird received their Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Bridgeport. Karissa’s involvement includes technical research within the Extreme Environmental Lab.
Dr. Jani Macari Pallis University of Bridgeport [biography]

Dr. Jani Macari Pallis received her Ph.D. concentrating in Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering from the University of California, Davis. She has a master's from the University of California, Berkeley in Mechanical Engineering and a master's and bachelor degree from Georgia Tech.

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 22, 2025, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 25, 2025

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