Precision TIG welding and structural restoration of a high-altitude research frame for the University of Delaware’s Bartol Research Institute. Re-engineered to withstand the extreme conditions of a long-duration balloon flight over Antarctica.
Structural Aluminum Repair: University of Delaware Balloon Gondola
The Project: The Bartol Research Institute at the University of Delaware commissioned me to repair the PUEO (Payload for Ultrahigh Energy Observations) platform.
The Damage: After a hard landing on a previous flight, the lightweight aluminum structural lattice a complex mix of rivets and welds was severely bent.
The Stakes: This frame carries sensitive instrumentation to the Antarctic; there is zero room for error.
The Mission & The Damage
Mapping the Frame: I began by labeling every joint and establishing a datum point to ensure the mounting blocks returned to their exact original coordinates.
Deconstruction: I carefully cut out the riveted joints and removed the damaged sections while maintaining the integrity of the remaining structure.
Fabrication: Using my hand-drawn sketches and manual measurements, I fabricated new aluminum components, center-punching and prepping every weld zone by hand.
The Rebuild: Using my photos and datum points as a roadmap, I reconstructed the frame, constantly checking for square to ensure the instrumentation would fit perfectly.
Old-School Layout meets Aerospace Standards
Detailed project photos and fabrication stages are documented in the reel below
From the Shop Floor to outer space over Antarctica
The PUEO Mission & Structural Integrity
The Mission The Payload for Ultrahigh Energy Observations (PUEO) is a NASA-funded astrophysics mission designed to detect ultra-high-energy neutrinos—ghostly particles from the most violent events in the universe, such as black hole formations and neutron star mergers. Launched in December 2025 from McMurdo Station, Antarctica, the payload flies at a "float altitude" of 120,000 feet (nearly 23 miles high) via a Long-Duration Balloon.
The Result The repaired PUEO gondola successfully passed NASA’s rigorous pre-flight stress tests and is currently circling the Antarctic continent, proving that old-school craftsmanship is still the foundation of modern space exploration.
Follow the Mission
From live balloon tracking to official NASA press releases, use the links below to see how this equipment is being used in the field today.
NASA and the University of Delaware trust my shop for critical repairs. You can, too. I’m currently accepting new repair projects and enrolling students for my 16-hour aluminum masterclass.