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Saved by PBworks
on March 6, 2007 at 10:33:14 pm
 

High Altitude Balloon Experiment

Codename: AHAB

 

About the project

This project is launching a (relatively) high altitude balloon carrying a number of digital cameras and some other instrumentation. The project was conceived and is being implemented in a short time with a crowd of eager volunteers and little prior experience and a lot of optimism.

 

Update: At this time we don't need anyone else on the launch crew. If you'd like to be on our backup list or want to support us from the comfort of your home, add your name to the WhosInterested page.

 

Update: Tethered Test!

 

After getting a few winks at the banks lake motel our posse headed out to a remote undisclosed location. Our team of crackerjack location planners used balloon tracking software to compile weather and windspeed data to simulate our flight and picked a location out the flight maps that would keep us from landing on railroad tracks, in a lake, on an airport runway, or hanford nuclear reservation.

 

The weather forecast wasn't good and our optimism was beat into submission by a layer of fog up to 2,000 feet and a layer of clouds from 12,000 to 15,000 feet... After a quick call to 1-800-wxbrief, we realized that we wouldn't be able to launch. The FAA requires at least 50% clear skies among other things and with only 250 feet of visibility in any direction, we decided to do a short tethered test.

 

This proved to be very valuable! Our systems all worked and we learned a lot!

 

In particular, we learned the importance of test, supply inventories, spare parts, communication gear, and first aid equipment. The wiki also showed it's extreme power to achieve collaboration and productivity among 12 people on one project!

 

Both our primary and secondary tracking systems worked! Our primary aprs beacon was easily trackable locally and even made a hit onto the repeater in Spokane!

 

Our backup tracking system, the Mologogo phone, was the star of the show. It logged and uploaded data the entire time. Big thanks to the mologogo folks, who really helped us out with their awesome software!

 

We all became better friends and after some rest, we shall not rest until we return in month with better weather. We shall reache space!

 

More photos and video to come soon!

 

Post links to your pics here! - Photos, Movies, and other Documentation

 

Track the flight!

 

Today (March 4th) is the launch day!

 

Update 10:48AM: We're waiting for some fog to burn off, we are now aiming for a 1:30PM launch.

 

You can track the balloon's progress:

 

 

Want to add info to this wiki? Contact bre (at) makezine.com and I'll shoot it off to you!

 

Our mailing list is a google group.

 

Wiki

 

This website is a wiki.

 

Learning about wikis? Check out the SandBox.

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