Announcement for EOSS-55

LAUNCH DATE: March 23, 2002 (wx delay March 24)
LAUNCH TIME: 09:00 MST, 16:00 UTC
LAUNCH SITE:  Windsor, Colorado (directions here)

Frequencies:

  • Preflight Net:
    • 147.225 MHz 8 pm MDT Friday March 22, 2002
    • 146.640 MHz will serve as a backup frequency
  • Beacon
    • 147.555 MHz CW ID
  • Tracking and Recovery Operations
    • 449.450 MHz 103.5 Hz tone required (RMRL repeater)
    • 146.550 MHz simplex (same simplex for field and launch ops)
  • Simplex at Launch Site
    • 146.550 MHz (same simplex for field and launch ops)
  • APRS - Since it is a DF hunt flight, the aprs data will not be made public until after the flight has completed.

Experiments:

Fox Hunt Contest

Win Prizes. See the Contest Announcement Page for details on how to qualify and participate, and of course the rules

New "Home Made" Balloon Test

HERE is Mark's outline of the balloon system

Mark KC0JHQ will be flying his homemade balloon. It is a zero pressure envelop that should ascend to around 60,000 feet plus a little where it will float. After a test of the floating capabilities, the payloads will be cutdown from the balloon via ground station commands. Limitations on this flight in order of priority

  1. Cutdown at 50 mile range from the launch site
  2. Cutdown after float test is complete
  3. Cutdown at 2 hours into the flight

The last item is automated on a timer in the event we lose the ability to transmit commands to the payload. The cutdown system is redundant. There are two separate and independent mechanisms on the payload.