Stargazer is a self-developed telescope project born from the dream of creating a true space telescope. With limited resources, the team chose high-altitude ballooning as the most accessible and realistic way to reach space-like observation conditions without the immense cost and complexity of an orbital launch.

The project has been designed with simplicity and robustness as core principles. Stargazer aims not only to collect meaningful scientific data, but also to openly document and share every stage of its development. The intention is to inspire others and provide useful knowledge to the scientific, maker, and educational communities.

The first mission will serve as a complete system demonstration flight. The balloon will carry Stargazer to an altitude of approximately 30 km, placing it above 99% of Earth’s atmosphere and nearly all atmospheric water vapor. At this height, the telescope will activate its autonomous attitude control system and begin a sequence of image captures using different settings to evaluate performance.

The highlight of the mission is expected to be an image of the Milky Way, showcasing the significant advantage of high-altitude imaging. With minimal atmospheric interference and almost no water vapor, Stargazer will be able to capture clearer and more detailed images than those typically possible from the ground, demonstrating the potential of near-space balloon-based astronomy.