New Video

I put up this weeks video on the JPA website:
www.jpaerospace.com

The new video is a collection of some of the rocket flights we've done:

Caption:
"In addition to launching rockets from balloons as part of a high altitude launch
system, JPA uses rockets as a research tool for Airship to Orbit. Here is a small
sample of launches we've conducted. Most of those in the video are ground launches
from suspended gondolas or from gimbaled launch rails."

I'm not very good with the video editing, any suggestion, comments etc on what's good and what's bad would be appreciated.

Hey it's Oscar time, you never know........

JP

WOW

(if we had a video voting on this site (idea)), I would vote 10/10 this video is cool, nice and beautiful at once

Later today I'll put it on the front news page, also the pongsats update.

very very very nice. really only way that would be improved is if you had a page going along it saying what all the launches were for. but that's really just nitpicking.

Very very nice, i hope you can keep it up, posting weekly videos Would be terrific.

Btw, how high can these rockets go?

The highest so far has been 72,000 feet.

JP

New Video!!

This clip shows the preperation and lift off of a small test Dark Sky Station. I've put more ground work in this one so everyone can get the feel for what it takes to get one of these things in the air, (and this was just a baby one).

JP

www.jpaerospace.com

Hi JP,

Great videos.

I have a couple of questions.

1 There seems to be a lot of buffeting in the video, even at high altitude. I always thought balloon flights were nearly motionless because the balloon is at rest with respect to the air it floats in. Is this motion from air turbulence or activity (propeller tests, etc.) on the vehicle?

2 What kind of FAA red tape do you have to deal with? Do you need a clearance for launch? Radar reflectors on the vehicle?

The DSS gets buffeted at low altitude but gets steady as a rock after 20,000 feet. The video only shows to about 10,000 feet.

The stability at altitude is determined by the number of balloons and the rigging. Away 25 'jiggled' constantly. It was carried by three balloons each with a direct line to the vehicle. Small motions of each balloon (thermal, localized micro shear etc.) tug on each line seperately causing a steady 'jiggle'. Aways 17, 23 and 24 were single balloons. They had no detectiable vibration. However, single balloon rigs tend to rock slightly.

It's an interesting dynamic. Each mission adds a little more to the picture.

JP

After reading your documents and watching the new video all I can say is wow.

My head is full of visions of suborbital balloon stations now (thanks guys ). This reminds me of a William Gibson story about homesteaders living in balloons

Great job guys and man would I LOVE to sit on that sub orbital station and watch the earth below =)


And practical too, military and cell phone companies are interested in such platforms

NICE ^_^