[Space] revised expectations

Mikolaj Habryn dichro at rcpt.to
Wed Feb 3 02:07:13 UTC 2010


Sunday's meeting resulted in a grand new plan... to launch THIS WEEKEND.

At this stage we're still waiting on the FAA to chat about longer term
plans (presumably they're busy keeping planes from crashing into each
other and such bagatelles), but if we take care to stay under the
FAR101 requirements and out of air corridors, we should be fine. Ozzy
suggests launching from somewhere around here -
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=37.648762,-121.377983&spn=0.214204,0.318947&t=h&z=12
- and staying south of 132.

There's a surprisingly small list of things to do (they're in wave,
tagged spacebridge - I haven't added everyone by hand, but subscribing
to spacebridge at googlegroups.com should magically give you edit access
to that wave and all the others - just don't start emailing that
address!). Thanks to Brian, Blake and Christopher (who have Done This
Before - http://spaceballoonproject.blogspot.com/) we have a parachute
and guidance on making CHDK work on the camera.

Two more balloons and all the APRS gear are currently in transit;
Andrew has the G1 and will make it even smarter before launch.

Problems left to solve (from wave):
  * payload enclosure and rigging
  * confirm where we're getting helium and arrange to have two tanks
waiting (ideally for weekend pickup), and what we need to know to
safely move it around
  * the APRS tracker will require external power (but everything else
has its own batteries)
  * consult tools mentioned at various earlier points to plot likely
trajectories and select a precise launch location
  * who will be available for assembling things on Saturday and
launching/chasing on Sunday

Let's do this.

m.



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