The High Altitude Student Platform (HASP) is designed to carry up to twelve student payloads to an altitude of about 36 kilometers with flight durations of 15 to 20 hours using a small volume, zero pressure balloon. It is anticipated that the payloads carried by HASP will be designed and built by students and will be used to flight-test compact satellites or prototypes and to fly other small experiments.

HASP includes a standard mechanical, power and communication interface for the student payload, based upon a flight tested design. This simplifies integration, allows the student payloads to be fully exercised, and minimizes platform development / operation costs. In addition, HASP is lightweight and has simple mission requirements, thus providing maximum flexibility in the launch schedule.

The major goals of the HASP Program are to foster student excitement in an aerospace career path and to help address workforce development issues in this area. HASP plans to provide a “space test platform” to encourage student research and stimulate the development of student satellite payloads and other space-engineering products. By getting the students involved with every aspect of the program HASP hopes to fill the gap between and student built sounding balloons and satellites, while also enhancing the technical skills and research abilities of the students.

HASP flight program is supported by the NASA Balloon Program Office (BPO) and the Louisiana Space Consortium (LaSPACE). Currently, HASP flies once a year in September from the Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility (CSBF) base in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. Typically, HASP requests student payload flight applications in the fall prior to the flight year. These applications are then reviewed by both the BPO and LaSPACE, and a selection is made by January of the flight year. Student payload integration with HASP is then accomplished during July / August just prior to the flight. Once selected as a HASP participant student teams are not charged for the flight. However, student teams must provide their own funding to support payload development and integration and there are a few document “deliverables” that the teams must supply.