Recap of EOSS-77/78

LAUNCH DATE: June 6, 2004
LAUNCH TIME:

eoss77 - 06:10 am (12:10 UTC)
eoss78 - 07:00 am (13:00 UTC)

Touchdown:

eoss77 - 07:50 am MDT (13:50 UTC)
eoss78 - 08:59 am MDT (14:59 UTC) (estimated)

LAUNCH SITE: Deer Trail, Co (Directions)

Blue = Actual Track (eoss78 only)
Green = Predicted Ascent Phase
Red = Predicted Descent Phase

Maps made with MapPoint
Prediction made with Balloon Track

Launch Site - Deer Trail
-----------------------
   Launch Point: 39.6114° lat.   -104.0426° long.
           Grid: X=16.19 Y=46.07
    Ascent Rate: 1000 feet per minute
   Descent Rate: 910 feet per minute
       Altitude: 5205 feet

EOSS-77

Predicted Landing Site
-----------------------
  Landing Point: 39.411° lat.  -103.6488° long.
           Grid: X=37.2 Y=32.2
       Altitude: 4501 feet
    Flight Time: 133 Minutes
        Bearing: 123.3° True
          Range: 25.1 Mi.

Actual Landing Site
-----------------------
  Landing Point: 39.4823° lat.  -103.8513° long.
           Grid: X=26.4 Y=37.2
        Bearing: 131.1° True
          Range: 13.5 Mi.

Difference from Predicted to Actual Landing Site
--------------------------------------------------
        Bearing: 294.6° True
          Range: 11.9 Mi.

EOSS-78

Predicted Landing Site
-----------------------
  Landing Point: 39.411° lat.  -103.6488° long.
           Grid: X=37.2 Y=32.2
       Altitude: 4501 feet
    Flight Time: 133 Minutes
        Bearing: 123.3° True
          Range: 25.1 Mi.

Actual Landing Site
-----------------------
  Landing Point: 39.4923° lat.  -104.1302° long.
           Grid: X=11.5 Y=37.9
        Bearing: 209.6° True
          Range: 9.5 Mi.

Difference from Predicted to Actual Landing Site
--------------------------------------------------
        Bearing: 282.5° True
          Range: 26.3 Mi.

EOSS Frequencies:

EOSS-77 Frequencies

Beacon
- 147.555 MHz
- ID: W5VSI in CW
APRS
- Physically detached during launch
- 144.340 MHz (inactive)
- ID: W5VSI-11

University Transmitters on EOSS-77

APRS (Montana State University)
- 446.050 MHz
- ID: K7MSU-11
Beacon (University of Hawaii)
- 436.000 MHz

EOSS-78 Frequencies

Beacon
- 145.600 MHz CW
- ID: KØANI
APRS
- Primary
  - 145.600 MHz
  - ID: KØANI-11
- Secondary
  - 445.975 MHz
  - ID: KØYUK-11

University Transmitters on EOSS-78

Telemetry (University of Texas)
- 900 MHz Spread Spectrum Frequency Hopping 0.14 watt

Flight Systems:

EOSS-77

Balloon Manufacturer	Kaymont
Balloon Type	latex
Balloon Size	3000 gram
Payload	20.0 lbs.
Free Lift %	calculated at fill
Ascent Rate	unknown
Descent Rate	unknown
Parachute	10 ft. diameter
Peak Altitude	unknown
Launch Conditions	very windy

EOSS-78

Balloon Manufacturer	Kaymont
Balloon Type	latex
Balloon Size	3000 gram
Payload	20.7 lbs.
Free Lift %	calculated at fill
Ascent Rate	998 fpm avg
Descent Rate	-4731 measured at 10,000 ft.
Parachute	10 ft. diameter
Peak Altitude	104,973 ft. ASL
Launch Conditions	very windy

Payload Configuration:

Updated for the Sunday flight configuration

Payload_Plan_77_78.PDF

EOSS Grid:

Location	Grid X	Grid Y
Last Chance	40	55
Selbert	79	25
Limon	34.5	22.5
Calhan	2.5	7
Launch Point (Deer Trail)	16.19	46.07
Touchdown	36.3	31.1

Tactical Callsigns:

Tactical	Callsign	Name	Notes
Alpha	WA0GEH	Marty	Coordinator
Bravo	W0CBH	Benjie	Asst. Coordinator
Charlie	K0JLZ	Jim
Charlie 2	K0AEM	Richard
Delta	K0ANN	Ann	(not participating, doing as public service event)
Echo	N5LPZ	Mike
Foxtrot	N0PUF	Dan
Golf	KB0UBZ	Ben
Kilo	N0LP	Nick	Ground Station

Internet Gateway Stations:

as seen on Findu.Com

For K0YUK-11

KH2NC-3 - Rick Nilson

For K0ANI-11

K0YG-7 - Mark Patton

EOSS wishes to express our sincere appreciation to the stations above who iGated the balloon APRS telemetry onto the internet.

We are relying heavily on real time position information available on the net to allow the FAA controllers to have up to the minute location data to assist them in air traffic control.

Redundant stations for the balloon iGating provide excellent coverage. If you go are able to iGate we invite you to join the Internet Gateway Team. When we have more than one station covering each APRS beacon, should a station dropping out momentarily, the others pick up the slack quite nicely.

Thanks again guys! The FAA (and EOSS) are very grateful for your assistance in this endeavor.

Recaps:

Tracking and Recovery

Photos:

Launch Site

Photos by Mike Herod, N8BHP
Photos by Randy Collander

Recovery Site (EOSS-77)

Photos by Jim Zimmerman, KØJLZ

Post Recovery Examination

Photos by Mike Manes, W5VSI

Audio:

Pre-flight Audio - 1.7 MBytes
EOSS-77 launch to landing (EOSS-78 lifts off in the middle of this recording) - 9.3 MBytes
EOSS-78 final ascent, burst and descent to landing - 7.4 MBytes
Recovery Operations (part 1) - 3.2 MBytes
Recovery Operations (part 2) - 9 MBytes

Data:

Only EOSS-78's telemetry system was operating this time out. It carried two APRS systems. Both are posted below.

These files may be updated in the coming days if I receive additional logs from other individuals who monitored the flight.

Plain Text Log

Comma Delimited Spreadsheet

Charts:

Our descent rates were somewhat interesting. You can download the data above and run more detailed analysis but...

Below is the ascent rate for the entire flight.

And below is a "close-up" of just the descent phase. I thought it interesting that apparently the exceptionally high descent rate slowed then at around 46K feet began to build once again. Possibly some additional late fouling of the chute from the payload train.

maintained by Rick von Glahn