ARC Near-Space Balloon - Page 2 - Orbiter-Forum

mojoey · 11-03-2011, 03:18 AM

so its balloon only? or can you use 'flammable' assistance? Id suggest trying to figure in a suitable trajectory... Im thinking that you are launching in the vicinity of Sacramento, if your feeling lucky...and the winds are in your favor, stick floats and a GPS locator on the return package, and put down near the coast and recover it. However if they arent, i cant really help you

good luck

MaverickSawyer · 11-03-2011, 04:09 AM

No energetic materials, including hydrogen as the lifting gas. We hope to launch from near Winters, past Davis. Winds should carry it towards the Sierra Nevadas, so a low-wind day at high altitude is ideal.

mojoey · 11-03-2011, 04:34 AM

shoot, i thought you were in the LA area, if you were id suggest hoping for a trajectory for the high desert... however, youre plan will work too, just take a AWD vehicle with you

MaverickSawyer · 11-03-2011, 03:32 PM

nah, swamp crawler for the rice fields in the causeway

mojoey · 11-03-2011, 03:35 PM

*rolls eyes* whatever floats your boat

MaverickSawyer · 02-12-2012, 07:24 PM

Ok, time for a status update. The SPOT tracker has arrived, and we have a payload enclosure for our camera and SPOT tracker. Our launch window closes the week before Easter, which is spring break for us. We found that we need to post a NOTAM before launch, something most people apparently don't do. Hopefully, we'll be able to get a time slot nailed down soon.

sirbobalot · 02-22-2012, 02:32 PM

awesome plan dude good luck

MaverickSawyer · 03-23-2012, 06:09 PM

Update time!
Payload module is almost complete, and the parachute has been readied. We are looking at the calendar and trying to pick a date and location, and we need to file the NOTAM ASAP, so if anyone knows how long they take, let me know.

MaverickSawyer · 05-01-2012, 03:25 PM

We have a go for launch!
Our plan is to launch this Saturday at about 9 am local. we are using a Kaymont 600 gram balloon and a 4-foot parachute to launch and recover our camera and SPOT tracker. Right now, the payload masses a meager 500 grams, so our deflated balloon actually weighs more than the payload and parachute combined!

needless to say, we are going to be adding some ballast to make it drop faster. Our goal is 19 km, or about 65000 feet. Helium used: 292.2 ft^3. That's over a K bottle worth of helium, which ain't cheap!
Anyways, wish us luck, and

frequently starting at 1600 UTC and going until about 1900 UTC!

**astrosammy** · 05-01-2012, 06:06 PM

Nice to hear that, good luck! Where is the launch site? Maybe we can have a "guess where it lands" contest on O-F

MaverickSawyer · 05-01-2012, 07:28 PM

Launch point is still up in the air (pun intended).

We're still watching the weather.

MaverickSawyer · 05-04-2012, 08:43 PM

OK, we are GO for launch!
launch site: 38.5618*N, 121.9712*W.
Launch time: 1700 UTC (9 am local)
payload: 1028 grams of styrofoam, camera, SPOT tracker, parachute, and steel rod ballast.
balloon: kaymont 600 gram.
Parachute: 48" Rocketchute

I will post the landing coordinates tomorrow night.

jonmatifa · 05-04-2012, 08:46 PM

I've participated in three launches and have only recovered one balloon, the problem has been inadequate tracking. The tracking solution that appeals to me the most is trackuino, http://www.trackuino.org/ I'm currently building one...

MaverickSawyer · 05-07-2012, 11:31 PM

Yeah, we had problems with the SPOT Tracker, so we scrubbed the launch. retry will be one week later.

NovaSilisko · 05-08-2012, 12:18 AM

I'm tempted to attempt to build one to send up and capture footage of the upcoming solar eclipse - normally, the eclipse would be below the horizon, but with a camera at the edge of space...

11-03-2011, 03:18 AM	#16
mojoey k*256^2+2083	so its balloon only? or can you use 'flammable' assistance? Id suggest trying to figure in a suitable trajectory... Im thinking that you are launching in the vicinity of Sacramento, if your feeling lucky...and the winds are in your favor, stick floats and a GPS locator on the return package, and put down near the coast and recover it. However if they arent, i cant really help you good luck Last edited by mojoey; 11-03-2011 at 03:20 AM.

03-23-2012, 06:09 PM	#23
MaverickSawyer Field Tester	UPDATE! Update time! Payload module is almost complete, and the parachute has been readied. We are looking at the calendar and trying to pick a date and location, and we need to file the NOTAM ASAP, so if anyone knows how long they take, let me know.

05-01-2012, 03:25 PM	#24
MaverickSawyer Field Tester	UPDATE! We have a go for launch! Our plan is to launch this Saturday at about 9 am local. we are using a Kaymont 600 gram balloon and a 4-foot parachute to launch and recover our camera and SPOT tracker. Right now, the payload masses a meager 500 grams, so our deflated balloon actually weighs more than the payload and parachute combined! needless to say, we are going to be adding some ballast to make it drop faster. Our goal is 19 km, or about 65000 feet. Helium used: 292.2 ft^3. That's over a K bottle worth of helium, which ain't cheap! Anyways, wish us luck, and frequently starting at 1600 UTC and going until about 1900 UTC!

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11-03-2011, 04:09 AM	#17
MaverickSawyer Field Tester	No energetic materials, including hydrogen as the lifting gas. We hope to launch from near Winters, past Davis. Winds should carry it towards the Sierra Nevadas, so a low-wind day at high altitude is ideal.

11-03-2011, 04:34 AM	#18
mojoey k*256^2+2083	shoot, i thought you were in the LA area, if you were id suggest hoping for a trajectory for the high desert... however, youre plan will work too, just take a AWD vehicle with you

11-03-2011, 03:32 PM	#19
MaverickSawyer Field Tester	nah, swamp crawler for the rice fields in the causeway

11-03-2011, 03:35 PM	#20
mojoey k*256^2+2083	rolls eyes whatever floats your boat

02-12-2012, 07:24 PM	#21
MaverickSawyer Field Tester	Ok, time for a status update. The SPOT tracker has arrived, and we have a payload enclosure for our camera and SPOT tracker. Our launch window closes the week before Easter, which is spring break for us. We found that we need to post a NOTAM before launch, something most people apparently don't do. Hopefully, we'll be able to get a time slot nailed down soon.

02-22-2012, 02:32 PM	#22
sirbobalot Orbinaut	awesome plan dude good luck

05-01-2012, 06:06 PM	#25
astrosammy Dash!	Nice to hear that, good luck! Where is the launch site? Maybe we can have a "guess where it lands" contest on O-F

05-01-2012, 07:28 PM	#26
MaverickSawyer Field Tester	Launch point is still up in the air (pun intended). We're still watching the weather.

05-04-2012, 08:43 PM	#27
MaverickSawyer Field Tester	OK, we are GO for launch! launch site: 38.5618N, 121.9712W. Launch time: 1700 UTC (9 am local) payload: 1028 grams of styrofoam, camera, SPOT tracker, parachute, and steel rod ballast. balloon: kaymont 600 gram. Parachute: 48" Rocketchute I will post the landing coordinates tomorrow night.

05-04-2012, 08:46 PM	#28
jonmatifa Orbinaut	I've participated in three launches and have only recovered one balloon, the problem has been inadequate tracking. The tracking solution that appeals to me the most is trackuino, http://www.trackuino.org/ I'm currently building one...

05-07-2012, 11:31 PM	#29
MaverickSawyer Field Tester	Yeah, we had problems with the SPOT Tracker, so we scrubbed the launch. retry will be one week later.

05-08-2012, 12:18 AM	#30
NovaSilisko The Siliskoiest of Siliskos	I'm tempted to attempt to build one to send up and capture footage of the upcoming solar eclipse - normally, the eclipse would be below the horizon, but with a camera at the edge of space...