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Olney, Illinois · September 25, 2026Aerostratospheric, an Illinois nonprofit with its corporate office at 801 S West St, Suite 101, Olney, IL 62450, today highlighted its STEM program and the xPlorer learning path as open pathways for teachers, students, and independent learners interested in near-space science and open atmospheric data.
The STEM program is part of Aerostratospheric's community outreach and is built around real high-altitude balloon missions, open atmospheric data, and classroom-ready activities taught by a certified STEM instructor. Learning topics include near-space and balloon basics, vertical profiles of temperature, humidity, pressure, and wind, telemetry decoding, and payload mass budgets, drawn from Aerostratospheric and Midwest Stratospheric Data Systems operations. Schools can request an in-school co-teach with a science teacher, an after-school club or workshop, or a remote talk when travel is not possible.
Adult learners can earn free 1-hour and 5-hour STEM credit-hour certificates online through xPlorer, Aerostratospheric's signed-in personal data board. xPlorer runs on the same open streams as xDataHub, the organization's public live science dashboard, and includes saved cities and graphs, forecast context, a UOGW (Unified Open Global Weather) dataset builder, and AeroCoin loyalty points, which are not money or cryptocurrency. A separate premium STEM course with an exam and certification is also offered. Younger learners have their own Kids Near Space Zone portal with games, activities, and a printable kids certificate.
Classrooms can also study real Midwest flights through the public Flown archive, including the September 12 x1Albatross envelope check and the September 19 X2Griffon maiden flight, which reached a burst altitude of 90,356 feet. Aerostratospheric designs, builds, and flies lightweight high-altitude payload science platforms under FAA Part 101. Its launches are private science operations, and flight results are shared publicly for awareness and education.
Aerostratospheric welcomes collaboration with educators and community partners on curriculum alignment, open-data classroom projects, and instructor pathway questions. Schools and partners can book a short collaboration conversation at https://calendly.com/aerostratospheric/15min.
STEM and learning links:
https://www.midwestsds.com/stem.html
https://www.midwestsds.com/explorer.html
https://www.midwestsds.com/MSDS2.html
https://www.midwestsds.com/msds-data-hub.html
https://www.midwestsds.com/flights.html
https://www.aerostratospheric.com/
Related / More info (knowledge base):
STEM certificates in xPlorer (classroom path): https://midwestsds.com/contact/knowledgebase.php?article=96
How to claim and download STEM certificates in xPlorer: https://midwestsds.com/contact/knowledgebase.php?article=81
About Aerostratospheric
Aerostratospheric is an Illinois nonprofit corporation. The organization designs, builds, and flies lightweight high-altitude payload science platforms under FAA Part 101 and publishes open atmospheric observations through UOGW (Unified Open Global Weather) for research, education, and public reuse. Midwest Stratospheric Data Systems operates as a limited partnership under Aerostratospheric. Corporate office: 801 S West St, Suite 101, Olney, IL 62450. Launch operations: Casey, Illinois. Web: https://www.aerostratospheric.com/ and https://www.midwestsds.com/
Media contact:
Elena Vargas, Press and Communications
space@aerostratospheric.com
https://www.midwestsds.com/press.html
Collaboration scheduling: https://calendly.com/aerostratospheric/15min
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