越南直播 students took their research to new heights on Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026, launching high-altitude balloons from Spain during one of the year’s most anticipated astronomical events: a total solar eclipse.
And people back home were watching.
As the UB team prepared to conduct its NASA-supported research, the team’s work captured the attention of people across Connecticut and the region. Then, on eclipse day, the students took the story international, joining NBC New York live from Spain to talk about the mission and share the experience as it unfolded.
UB was one of only four universities nationwide selected to participate in the project and one of only two teams selected to travel to Spain for the total solar eclipse. Five UB students were joined by two students from University of Hartford to conduct real-world aerospace and atmospheric research during the eclipse.
Connecticut test flights
The journey began months before the eclipse. UB students spent the summer learning the fundamentals of high-altitude ballooning, preparing scientific payloads, conducting test flights, troubleshooting equipment, and getting ready for the conditions they would encounter in Spain.
The UB team included engineering students Luis Cardoso, Devin Webb, Kayin Chisolm, Peter Suarez, and Patricia Torviso Quiroz, who worked alongside University of Hartford students Javier Serrano and Brianna Montano-Vazquez. The group was guided by UB faculty mentors Dr. Jani Pallis and Professor Nicolas Zoghb, along with UB alum Huy Huong, who joined the trip as a mentor after participating in previous UB eclipse missions.
Their scientific payloads were designed to travel between 90,000 and 120,000 feet above Earth, carrying equipment to measure changes in atmospheric ozone during the eclipse, monitor effects on radio communications, and capture imagery from near space as the moon’s shadow moved across Earth.
鈥淭his program gives students the kind of experience you simply cannot replicate in a classroom,鈥� said Jani Macari Pallis, Ph.D., professor of Mechanical Engineering and principal investigator for UB. 鈥淭hey are learning how to prepare for a real mission, launch and recover high-altitude balloon systems, adapt to changing conditions, and work through the many variables that come with scientific field research.鈥�
Dr. Khaled Elleithy, dean of the College of Engineering, Business and Education, added, 鈥淯B School of Engineering students gain hands-on experience through NASA- and NSF听础滨-sponsored research and emerging technologies. Working alongside faculty and industry partners, they apply classroom knowledge to real-world challenges while developing the technical and problem-solving skills needed to shape the future of engineering and technology.
That hands-on聽preparation gave media outlets a closer look at the work happening behind the scenes.
UB’s eclipse team makes headlines
NBC New York | Live from Spain
On eclipse day, members of UB鈥檚 team shared their work with viewers back home on NBC New York. After first participating in a pre-recorded interview, Assistant Professor Nicolas Zoghb and several students were invited back for a live appearance later that day. In the middle of recovering their balloon systems, the group pulled over to the side of a road. Using headlamps and vehicle lights to connect live from Spain, the team gave viewers a firsthand look at the science behind the mission and the people carrying it out.
WFSB | CT Students Heading to Spain for Eclipse Mission
WFSB spoke with UB students and faculty ahead of their trip to Spain about the opportunity to participate in the NASA-supported eclipse mission and the excitement surrounding the experience.
Connecticut Public | CT Students Travel to Spain to Document Total Solar Eclipse for NASA
Connecticut Public went behind the science of the mission, highlighting the team’s high-altitude balloon testing, the research they planned to conduct during the eclipse, and the hands-on experience UB students were gaining along the way.
NBC Connecticut | Connecticut College Students Prepare to Help NASA with Eclipse Research in Spain
NBC Connecticut joined the team during one of its final test flights before Spain, highlighting the student-led nature of the mission, the science behind the payloads, and the preparation required to have the balloons at altitude within the eclipse鈥檚 brief window of totality.
A growing legacy of eclipse research
The 2026 mission marks UB’s fourth NASA-supported eclipse campaign. UB students and faculty have previously participated in eclipse research projects in 2017, 2023, and 2024.
The work is part of the Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project, a NASA- and National Science Foundation-supported initiative that gives university students opportunities to conduct advanced atmospheric science and engineering experiments during solar eclipses.
For UB students, this year’s mission brought that experience to an international stage.
Months of preparation led to a few extraordinary minutes in Spain, but the experience was about much more than the eclipse itself. Students gained hands-on experience in engineering, atmospheric research, field operations, troubleshooting, and scientific collaboration while contributing to a national research initiative thousands of miles from home.
For a team that began the summer learning the fundamentals of high-altitude ballooning, Aug. 12 represented quite the finish: conducting near-space research during a total solar eclipse and sharing the experience live with viewers back home.
With over 14 years of experience in writing and communications, Abby Levandoski is a seasoned storyteller specializing in highlighting stories that build community. As the assistant director of communications and content strategy for 越南直播, Abby produces compelling narratives highlighting academic programs, research initiatives, and student success. Her work has earned positive media coverage across print, digital, and TV platforms. Abby holds a master鈥檚 degree in education and a bachelor鈥檚 degree in political science, bringing a strategic and creative approach to her role in higher education marketing and communications.