A camera sent into space by students from Worthing has captured some stunning photos of the earth from above. Twitter: @CHITS_ProjectA camera sent into space by students from Worthing has captured some stunning photos of the earth from above. Twitter: @CHITS_Project
A camera sent into space by students from Worthing has captured some stunning photos of the earth from above. Twitter: @CHITS_Project

See incredible photos of space captured by Worthing school pupils

Incredible photos of the curvature of the earth have been captured by school pupils from Worthing.

A capsule filled with cameras, computers and sensors was made by former Year 11 pupils of Chatsmore Catholic High School Kieran Malandain and Robert Vella, helped by head of physics Peter Clarke, and released on June 28. It was carried by a large helium-filled balloon to the edge of space – 31km in the air – to take photographs of the curvature of the earth and film the journey. Once it reached 100,000ft – three times the cruising altitude for aeroplanes – the balloon expanded to 9.1m in width and popped. It caused the parachute to deploy and it to fall back to earth in Flexham Park, between Wisborough Green and Petworth, two miles from the team's anticipated landing site. Sadly, Kieran, Robert and Peter lost contact with the capsule soon after it launched, and after searching the predicted landing site nothing was found. However, five months later, it was discovered by Billingshurst dogwalker Simon Best and reunited with its creators. The trio have appeared on television since the rediscovery, and recently found out their camera had qualified for the Big Bang Competition, which bills itself as the UK's largest for science and engineering students. With the footage taken by the camera, the team have created a 360-degree Youtube video that can be watched with a virtual reality headset. Click here to see it.