The Flight 2019b will be held for an Elementary School in McPherson, KS. Before the launch, students be be developing their own experimental payload, observing the effects of temperature and air pressure on matter. They used two kiwi fruit and a marshmallow to test with. Additionally they will get classroom exposure to the concept of near-space travel, including demonstrations in a vacuum chamber.
The WARC club out of Wichita also flew their tracker system, and Dylan Helms few his tracker as well.
Table of Contents
Flight Parameters
| Launch Date/Time |
Thursday March 28th at 9:45am (14:45Z). Plan on meeting at 8:30am to prepare, and we will begin inflation at 9:00am. |
|
| Alternative Date | Thursday April 4th at 9:45am (14:45Z). | |
| Launch Site | Eisenhower Elementary School (38.39N, -97.66W) | |
|
Capsule 1 (Track) 144.39MHz |
Tracker: ArduinoTrack with RadioMetrix 300mW transmitter signing W0ZC-11. Beaconing: Altitude-based delay
Camera: Canon A570IS camera running CHDK and dash-cam camera pointed up. |
0.87kg |
|
Capsule 2 (Track) 144.34MHz |
Tracker: ptFlex with DRA818V 700mW transmitter signing W0ZC-13. Sensor: Spectroscopy sensors AS7265x. Beaconing: Time-based delay
Camera: Dash-cam looking horizontal. |
0.52kg |
|
Capsule 3 (Track) (WARC-Club Designed) 144.39MHz |
Tracker: ArduinoTrack with RadioMetrix 300mW transmitter signing W0SOE-11. Beaconing: Altitude-based delay
Repeater: Raspberry Pi Fusion repeater 445.400-. |
0.62kg |
| Capsule 4 (Track)
(WSU-Student Designed) 144.39MHz |
Tracker: Habduino, built by Dillon from Wichita State University. The transmitter is signing KE0TGR-11. Beaconing: Time-based delay
|
0.31kg |
| Capsule 5 |
Experimental payload from Eisenhower Elementary School. The kids are studying the effects of matter from altitude and air pressure changes. They will be sending up a marshmallow and a kiwi fruit, with an on board video camera to capture the results. |
0.50kg |
| Recovery / Misc |
Parachute and misc rigging. | 0.30kg |
| Total Flight Weight | Total neck weight on the balloon. | 3.12kg |
| Balloon / Gas |
1200g Kaymont with 6.4cu meters (225cu ft) Helium. Neck lift (4.3kg) / Net lift (1.3kg) |
|
| Estimated Burst Altitude | 28,650m MSL (94,000') | |
| Estimated Ascent Rate | 6.0 m/s (1200'/min) | |
| Estimated Descent Rate | 7.1 m/s (1400'/min) | |
| Chase Frequencies | 446.100MHz | |
| NOTAM Filed | High Altitude Balloon 3N-NE of KMPR, east bound reaching Flight Level 600 from March 28 at 1430Z to March 28 1700Z. (#03/509) |
Flight Results
| Launch Date/Time | Thursday March 28th at 9:43am (14:43Z). |
| Launch Site | Eisenhower Elementary School (38.40N, -97.66W) |
| Burst Altitude | 31,068m (101,928') MSL |
| Average Ascent Rate | 5.68m/s (1,117ft/min) |
| Measured Descent Rate | 7.41m/s (1,458 ft/min) at touchdown |
| Touchdown Site | 38.30N, -96.05W |
| Touchdown Time | Thursday March 28th at 11:45am (16:45Z). |
| Recovery Time | Thursday March 28th at 12:00pm (17:00Z). |
| Distance Traveled | 141km (88mi) |
| Total Flight Time | 2 hours, 03 minutes |
| Downloads |
Flight Path (KML), Analysis Spreadsheet, Winds Aloft Forecast |
Photo Highlights
Tracking Predictions
27 March 2019
Today's predict based on 1040'/min ascent puts us square into the middle of the John Redmond Reservoir. The surface forecasts are also calling for scattered thunderstorms in the vicinity of both launch and recovery zones. I'm not seeing any severe, luckily.
Regarding the launch, we will still plan for a 9:00am fill, 9:30 release, but we'll have to be flexible and time it between possible storms.
Plan on the possibility of getting muddy and/or wet. If the weather cooperates, there will likely be fishing boats out on the water tomorrow in the case of a water landing.
26 March 2019
Today is almost identical to yesterday. There is an increasing possibility of thunderstorms in the afternoon, but we should be recovered by the time they roll through the area. Wednesday night rain could make for a muddy recovery.
25 March 2019
The tracking prediction looks to be stabilizing with an east track and landing near Burlington. Surface weather looks to be warm and partly cloudy. Surface wind is expected to be gusty out of the south.
24 March 2019
The winds have backed off significantly in today's forecasts. I've adjusted the descent rate up to 1400'/min, which is the measured rate from the 2019a flight last week.
23 March 2019
Today's forecast calls for even stronger winds, pushing us up into the Lawerence area.
22 March 2019
Jet stream winds have picked up significantly since the last predict. We're approaching 100 knots of wind around 40,000'.
17 March 2019
16 March 2019
The initial flight prediction shows a leisurely track northeast towards Herrington, KS. The long range surface forecast shows cloudy skies and moderate temperatures.
