Meet the BEXUS team: SOBER

"It’s not our similarities but our differences that make innovation possible." SOBER Team

The SOBER (Space Object Brightness Evaluation and Reference) experiment is a student-led initiative designed to improve how we observe and understand satellites and space debris, collectively known as Resident Space Objects (RSOs). As Earth’s orbit becomes increasingly crowded due to commercial launches and satellite constellations, ensuring sustainable and safe use of space has never been more critical. Our project addresses this challenge by measuring how bright these RSOs appear in both visible and infrared light, data that can help refine existing space object tracking systems and support efforts to preserve dark skies.

SOBER is flying aboard the BEXUS 37 high-altitude balloon, which will carry our payload to approximately 27 km above sea level. As this point is above the majority of Earth's atmosphere, we can avoid the distortion that ground-based telescopes experience, enabling clearer and more precise measurements. The payload includes two high-sensitivity cameras. Our system captures images of RSOs as they pass overhead and uses onboard processing to analyze the light they emit or reflect. These readings will be compared to ground-based data to evaluate atmospheric interference and contribute to tools like European Space Agency’s MASTER and DISCOS as well as support global efforts to preserve dark skies by characterizing the optical impact of orbital objects.

Our team proudly brings together over 25 students from eight universities across Canada, the UK, Germany, Italy, and Romania. We come from a diverse range of academic backgrounds, united by a shared mission and passion for space research. The team is structured around core subsystems: payload, Assembly Integration & Test (AIT), software & electronics, data analysis, electronics, logistics & operations, and outreach. Working together across institutions and time zones, this international collaboration has provided a valuable environment for systems-level learning, technical troubleshooting, and cultural exchange. Every step of this unique journey has deepened our understanding in hands-on experience in space mission development, aligned with the spirit of the REXUS/BEXUS programme.

SOBER experiment in a nutshell