Aerolaunch India sends car bonnet to 21 km altitude for testing
A high-altitude balloon mission tested paint protection film under extreme cold and ultraviolet radiation.
Chennai-based Aerolaunch India launched a high-altitude balloon on November 1, 2026, to test automobile technology. The mission, named HAB0226, carried a miniature car bonnet 21 km above Earth to examine how paint protection film performs in harsh environments, according to Moneycontrol.
The experiment was conducted in collaboration with automotive detailing brand CarzSpa. The miniature bonnet was coated with the Aegis XG series paint protection film (PPF) and attached to a payload launched from Krishnasamy College of Arts and Science in Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu.
During the two-hour flight, the payload reached temperatures as low as minus 50 degrees Celsius. The mission exposed the surface to thin atmospheric conditions and ultraviolet (UV) radiation. CarzSpa stated that its Aegis XG coating showed no visible changes after the test.
The payload featured a custom structure made of carbon fibre pipes and expanded polystyrene for insulation. A 360-degree camera recorded the flight, while a UV data logger from the aerospace startup Space Technology and Aeronautical Rocketry (STAR) recorded radiation intensity.
The payload landed at Melkangayan Kuppam, approximately 30 km from the launch site, where the Aerolaunch India team retrieved it. Aerolaunch India was founded in 2021 by HemPrasath and Shree Ranganathan and builds balloon platforms that can reach altitudes of up to 35 km.