SFS News: CUSF - Teddy Bears reach Near Space

Rob Goldsmith · Posted on: Thu Dec 04, 2008 4:54 pm

Four teddy bears voyaged to the edge of space on Monday December 1st as an experiment run by Cambridge University Spaceflight, with the SPARKS science club at Parkside Community College and Coleridge Community College. The bears were lifted to 30,085 metres above sea level on a latex high altitude balloon filled with helium. The aim of the experiment was to determine which materials provided the best insulation against the -53 Â° C temperatures experienced during the journey. Each of the bears wore a different space suit designed by the 11-13 year olds from SPARKS.

The payload which carried the bears was designed by Cambridge University Spaceflight and contained several cameras, a flight computer, GPS and a radio. During the 2 hour and 9 minute flight, the radio broadcasted the location of the payload to a chase team on the ground. The team predicted the landing site using wind speed data and arrived in time to see the payload and teddy bears drift slowly back down to earth by parachute. The teddies landed in a field 4 miles north east of Ipswich.
â€œWe want to offer young people the opportunity to get involved in the space industry whilst still at school and show that real-life science is something that is open to everybodyâ€

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Rob Goldsmith Moon Mission Member Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2004 11:52 am Posts: 1260 Location: Exeter, Devon, England	SFS News: CUSF - Teddy Bears reach Near Space Posted on: Thu Dec 04, 2008 4:54 pm Four teddy bears voyaged to the edge of space on Monday December 1st as an experiment run by Cambridge University Spaceflight, with the SPARKS science club at Parkside Community College and Coleridge Community College. The bears were lifted to 30,085 metres above sea level on a latex high altitude balloon filled with helium. The aim of the experiment was to determine which materials provided the best insulation against the -53 Â° C temperatures experienced during the journey. Each of the bears wore a different space suit designed by the 11-13 year olds from SPARKS. The payload which carried the bears was designed by Cambridge University Spaceflight and contained several cameras, a flight computer, GPS and a radio. During the 2 hour and 9 minute flight, the radio broadcasted the location of the payload to a chase team on the ground. The team predicted the landing site using wind speed data and arrived in time to see the payload and teddy bears drift slowly back down to earth by parachute. The teddies landed in a field 4 miles north east of Ipswich. â€œWe want to offer young people the opportunity to get involved in the space industry whilst still at school and show that real-life science is something that is open to everybodyâ€ _________________ > 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: 1260 Location: Exeter, Devon, England	Posted on: Thu Dec 04, 2008 4:55 pm Looks great guys!!! Havent seen that before haha, "Teddy Bears" I love it! Congrats! Rob _________________ > http://www.fullmoonclothing.com > http://www.facebook.com/robsastrophotography > robgoldsmith@hotmail.co.uk
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idiom Moderator Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2004 4:01 am Posts: 750 Location: New Zealand	Posted on: Thu Dec 04, 2008 8:38 pm Thats pretty cool. _________________ What goes up better doggone well stay up! - Morgan Gravitronics, Company Slogan.
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Ben Space Station Member Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2008 9:22 pm Posts: 267	Posted on: Fri Dec 05, 2008 1:06 am Fun project. I think the second bear is going to have some mobility problems in that suit, though.
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TheFlyingkiwi Space Walker Joined: Fri Sep 10, 2004 5:35 am Posts: 207 Location: New Zealand/Europe	Posted on: Fri Dec 05, 2008 4:45 am Just caught it on Daily Planet on Discovery Channel, Congrats! Iain
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JamesHughes Space Station Commander Joined: Wed Aug 18, 2004 8:47 am Posts: 517 Location: Science Park, Cambridge, UK	Posted on: Fri Dec 05, 2008 10:48 am Made the BBC news website also. Well done! (Since I am actually work in Cambridge at the moment, I feel its really quite close. And I support Ipswich Town FC)
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grado Spaceflight Enthusiast Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2010 6:13 am Posts: 1	Re: SFS News: CUSF - Teddy Bears reach Near Space Posted on: Mon Mar 29, 2010 6:22 am oooww, how much to send these 4 tidy bear to out space? That's cool! _________________ Business management university Diploma in Hospitality bachelor of arts Retail Management
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