Balloon Launch Discussion

Dave
I have a video camera that fits inside the sonde already and it's better than a cell phone camera it's on the blog. http://teamprometheus.org/movies/Blog as well let's use it for the first mission it's ready to go and it's very light! I have a 2gig card for it and it runs 1hr 45 min I've tested it to -10 and it worked for 30min. I think we can even fit the Beeline in there with it. if uses a 9v we can run 2 in parallel and help make sure the sonde has voltage. The little cam uses 2 AA all that will fit in the sonde's battery case with the cam. That will be a very nice package and we can test out the Beeline at alt. You have both test out the Beeline with the sonde an let's make sure there wont be any interference between the two.

Monroe

I am not much into electronics in fact I subscribe to the magic smoke theory on how electronics work. Is it possible to send up a cell phone with a gps and camera? Should be able to send positions, data and photos. Roaming charges might put us over budget. Actually the payload could just be a modernized Sputnik. Just make a noise and everyone could track it.

Woody
A hacked cell phone might be of some use on a mission. Don't worry Dave and I can keep the magic smoke inside the goodies! We will need your expertise in building the airframe and probably in the motor manufacturing equipment. As well as helping on the other hardware. I plan to draw on all of your experience in machinery. I will hit you up on some stuff soon.

Monroe
Meanwhile feel free to comment you’ll catch things we won’t see. Just like Basil does.

Dave
A 600g balloon can lift at least 5lbs. So we are safe there and that's with Helium. Hydrogen is not as light as it would be because the gas is H2 still about 1/3rd lighter.

Monroe

I guess our first NS Rocket launch should be a 1200g with 2 cameras and tracking do you think we could use triangulation to get a honest altitude reading? I don't think station keeping will be needed on this first shot. What do you think?

Guy's the new site looks great! Some of our team members are having problems getting on the SF I guess it is because of the changes. Keep trying I believe you have to send an answer to the email they send you. And say you agree. The launch is GO! So use standard email if you have too. BMA

Delay,Delay weather reset for Tues. Guy's But this time we go on the next possiable day no matter what.

Monroe

Guy's Tues. 7am Central as long as we dont have a due East wind.

Monroe

when launching at 100,000 ft how important are fins? Not a lot of air up there to react with them.

Woody
You are absolutly correct! Very little air for the fins to bite into. We will have to spin up the rocket before the launch.

Monroe

greetings space fellows. Paul here, the ghost team member audio-visual person for team prometheus. I have had sheer hell getting signed up on the space fellowship, and FINALLY, I am on. I am honored to be working with Monroe, and am looking forward to tomorrow mornings (Tues.) launch of the ballons!

Yeah! Paul!!! Ik well we still have plenty of guy's struggling with loggin in!!!! Glad you made it! Paul is a long time friend and his website is http://www.perfectpitchstudiosofaustin.com/ Welcome Paul!

Monroe

Standby Paul we may have to change the launch site. The wind won't coopperate and I'm tired of waiting!

Don't rush it. A failure will put us farther behind than a wait for good weather.

Woody
Thanks for castin the deciding vote we wait untill Wed. morning we should get a 6hr window sometime after sunrize. You are absolutely right and changing sites now changes too many things.

Monroe

We are now go for the crack of dawn. The FAA has been notified we will be up all night getting ready. This is it!

Monroe

Well
Here's how Near Space Expedition I went:

Great launch and great team work! We got the balloon launch off well. Special Thanks to Dave Hein for bringing a soldering iron to the launch site as well as his excellent input! I forgot the battery connector for the sonde at the house. Right off the sonde was having trouble acquiring satellites and we got no GPS data. The weather was near perfect the balloon went nearly straight up. We tracked it as far as we could with binocs. We decided to move farther down range. My receiver lost the signal on the way as well as Dave's. The sonde stopped transmitting. My guess is dead battery it died just about the same time my first battery did 20min. Dave's Beeline signal was in the mud but it was there. We got a signal about a mile radius that was weak. My guess is that we were right under it. About 2hr after launch we lost that signal. So we process what data we have and go for II Next Week. Hopefully the sonde will be found and returned. I’m wore out so that's it for now.

Monroe

Will post some pictures and video later.