SFS News: Stratos breaks European altitude record

Rob Goldsmith · Posted on: Tue Mar 17, 2009 7:37 pm

The Stratos rocket was succesfully launched today at 11:28 CET from Esrange Space Center reaching an altitude of 12.55 kilometers, thereby breaking the European altitude record for amateur experimental rockets! Esrange Space Center has confirmed the altitude.

This morning we woke up early to start the final preparations for the launch. At 8:30 it was decided that the as soon as the rocket was assembled the countdown was started. At 10:28 that moment had arrived and the countdown started at T-1 hour. After a nerve wrecking hour at 11:28 the boosters were ignited. After 1.5 s the Stratos left the launch pad and few seconds later the boosters burnt out. The second mile stone was the ignition of the sustainer which happened 4.8 seconds later and was withnessed both by the onboard telemetry and visually from the radar dome and the observation station at radar hill.

Then Stratos reached its apogee. The onboard GPS receiver confirmed an altitude of 12.55 km.

After apogee the telemetry received signals that the parachutes were deployed. By that time though the rocket could no longer be tracked visually. Finally the rocket supposely landed in the Swedish snow. A recovery team was sent out on snow scooters but were thus far not able to find the remains of the rocket. The last signals were received when Stratos disappeared behind a mountain range.

Thus after an almost two years long project the objective of breaking the European altitude record was matched and we hope that we have set a new limit in amateur rocketry.

Lift off can be seen just behind the trees

One second after lift off

Please feel free to discuss this topic further...

Author	Message
Rob Goldsmith Moon Mission Member Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2004 11:52 am Posts: 1263 Location: Exeter, Devon, England	SFS News: Stratos breaks European altitude record Posted on: Tue Mar 17, 2009 7:37 pm The Stratos rocket was succesfully launched today at 11:28 CET from Esrange Space Center reaching an altitude of 12.55 kilometers, thereby breaking the European altitude record for amateur experimental rockets! Esrange Space Center has confirmed the altitude. This morning we woke up early to start the final preparations for the launch. At 8:30 it was decided that the as soon as the rocket was assembled the countdown was started. At 10:28 that moment had arrived and the countdown started at T-1 hour. After a nerve wrecking hour at 11:28 the boosters were ignited. After 1.5 s the Stratos left the launch pad and few seconds later the boosters burnt out. The second mile stone was the ignition of the sustainer which happened 4.8 seconds later and was withnessed both by the onboard telemetry and visually from the radar dome and the observation station at radar hill. Then Stratos reached its apogee. The onboard GPS receiver confirmed an altitude of 12.55 km. After apogee the telemetry received signals that the parachutes were deployed. By that time though the rocket could no longer be tracked visually. Finally the rocket supposely landed in the Swedish snow. A recovery team was sent out on snow scooters but were thus far not able to find the remains of the rocket. The last signals were received when Stratos disappeared behind a mountain range. Thus after an almost two years long project the objective of breaking the European altitude record was matched and we hope that we have set a new limit in amateur rocketry. Lift off can be seen just behind the trees One second after lift off Please feel free to discuss this topic further... _________________ > http://www.fullmoonclothing.com > http://www.facebook.com/robsastrophotography > robgoldsmith@hotmail.co.uk
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Rob Goldsmith Moon Mission Member Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2004 11:52 am Posts: 1263 Location: Exeter, Devon, England	Posted on: Tue Mar 17, 2009 7:42 pm Could be a good shout for the N-Prize? _________________ > http://www.fullmoonclothing.com > http://www.facebook.com/robsastrophotography > robgoldsmith@hotmail.co.uk
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Monroe Space Station Commander Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2008 9:29 pm Posts: 637 Location: Austin, Texas	Posted on: Tue Mar 17, 2009 9:48 pm Nice! And congratulations! Nice to see the records being broken. Go for it! Monroe _________________ Today's the day! We go into Space!
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Paul H. Dear Launch Director Joined: Tue Sep 23, 2008 9:55 pm Posts: 14 Location: Cambridge, England	Nice one! Posted on: Wed Mar 18, 2009 2:19 am That is one impressive piece of rocketeering - congratulations! _________________ "Gentlemen, we haven't got any money, so we are going to have to think!"
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Rob Goldsmith Moon Mission Member Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2004 11:52 am Posts: 1263 Location: Exeter, Devon, England	Posted on: Thu Mar 19, 2009 5:04 pm Here is a vid http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isdKSMDx ... r_embedded _________________ > http://www.fullmoonclothing.com > http://www.facebook.com/robsastrophotography > robgoldsmith@hotmail.co.uk
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