Space DIY: Engineer uses balloon to photograph Greece from space

By Hannah Stevens @hannahshewans

A GREEK engineer has built his own high altitude balloons capable of photographing earth at the stratospheric layer - five times higher than the reach of a commercial aeroplane

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Videographer / director: Kostas Tamateas
Producer: Hannah Stevens, Ellie Winstanley
Editor: Joshua Douglas

Konstantinos started his stratospheric flight project in 2010

Konstantinos Tamateas began building the stratospheric flight project in 2010 and has now sent two balloons into space to photograph his home country through the atmosphere.

His first balloon - called Balkan Space Xpress - launched on 19 July 2012 and peaked at 21 miles over Thessaloniki, Greece.

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So far he has sent two balloons - Balkan Space Xpress and Stratonauts - up into the stratosphere

The second launch - titled Stratonauts - took place on 26 August 2013.

The SlaRos project - named after Serbian-American inventor Nikolas Tesla and the myth of Icarus - was conceived in 2006 when Konstantinos graduated but he did not start work on it until 2010.

He said: “I was always fascinated by the universe and SlaRos was the only realistic creation I could build with my bare hands to reach above the skies.

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The home made devices captured stunning views of Greece from space

“It took me nearly three years to study, develop and prepare the launch. It is a multi-skill project, which combines knowledge from various sectors such as electronics, software and telecommunications.

“I spent nearly 2500 euros destroying and building bits and pieces of the flight project.”

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Tamateas managed to photograph clear shots of Mount Olympus, the Ionian Sea and the Thessalian plain

As the 30-year-old’s skill set is in software engineering, it took years of independent development and study to acquire the necessary skills to launch his stratospheric flights.

The process involved developing a mini computer that would follow his commands with a built in tracking sub-system.

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Above heights of 60,000 feet there are too few air molecules to scatter light effectively

He constructed a 15x15 capsule to hold his cameras and the mini computer before connecting the structure to a high-altitude helium balloon.

After months of exhausting preparation, Konstantinos found the balloon seven days after its epic fall from space.

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As a result the sky appears black and devoid of stars

He said: “I was with my buddy in a cafeteria just after we recovered the capsule from the outskirts of a village.

“We were so tired and stressed while we were opening it - we were silent, like we had done something bad.

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After the first high-altitude balloon dropped from space it took seven days for Konstantinos to find it

“When we saw the images, it was unbelievable and I told him: ‘We did it!’"

Konstantinos’ creation captured stunning photographs of Mount Olympus, the Ionian Sea and the Thessalian plain.

The project has inspired him and he hopes to continue his pioneering work when Greece’s economy stabilises.

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Tamateas spent €2500 building his first high altitude balloon
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But after two missions the project is over due to the impact of Greece's struggling economy

He said: “After a 2/2 mission success the project is over. Right now my country has got major economic issues.

“Such projects need a lot of free time and money. This is something we don’t have in Greece right now.”

More information on his project can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/SlaRos-259791880701530/?fref=ts