Imagine working hard on a project that could impact the future of space travel. Developing a smart space foundation for larger structures to be built on. Something that could be used in the future by telescopes and new generation of telecommunications antennae. Sending up the web like platform into outer space to check sustainability, and then not getting the data back!

Students from the University of Strathclyde and the University of Glasgow developed just such a platform called Suaineadh  which means ‘twisting’ in Scots Gaelic. They then launched it into space on-board the sounding rocket REXUS12 from the Swedish space center Esrange in March 2012.

Unfortunately the recovery of the section in which the data was recorded could not be found after re-entry into the atmosphere. Students spent 10 days on the recovery mission in Northern Sweden above the Arctic Circle in vain. Finally they had to give up and return empty handed thinking that all their effort had been in vain.

It was 18 months later that Swedish hunters discovered the section and returned it to civilization. The excitement and relief of the students who now get to study all the data recorded is evident. Thankfully this is one science project that had a happy ending.