EOSS Upcoming Flights
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04/20/2024 - 00:00 to 23:45
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04/27/2024 - 00:00 to 23:45
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05/04/2024 - 00:00 to 23:45
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05/18/2024 - 07:00 to 14:30
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08/03/2024 - 00:00 to 23:45
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10/19/2024 - 00:00 to 23:45
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11/02/2024 - 00:00 to 23:45
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11/09/2024 - 00:00 to 23:45
Mark Caviezel's Report on EOSS-57-B
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I had a great time on Saturday, helping to launch and track EOSS 57B.
The flight string comprised of Montana "BOREALIS" capsule, 4 balloonsats, and my 2m radio beacon/camera package.
The first (EOSS57B) balloon got away after being attached to the top of the flight string, I wasn't sure if that was a funky knot or low test string. Luckily there was a spare balloon on site and **just** enough helium to pull off a 'do-over'.
The EOSS 57A balloon, the accidentally unladen EOSS 57B balloon, and the EOSS57C (Iowa State) balloons all went off at 8:12 am, the EOSS57B balloon (2nd attempt) went up at I believe 8:28. Very surprisingly, though, the EOSS57A and C balloons were ascending faster than the first EOSS57B balloon. Dave Galpin made that observation several minutes after the three balloons were released. Only guess here is that the payload forces the balloon into a more aerodynamic shape, and reduces the cross sectional area. Still, you would think that an unladen balloon with over 16 lbs of nozzle lift would ascend much faster. But, we saw what we saw. I think that aerodynamic ascent models of latex balloons assuming spherical shape must be critically reviewed given the observations made on Saturday.
We did a good job tracking the balloon via APRS, snapping photos as desired with my ground commanded remote camera. We stopped and allowed Helen and Stefane as well as Tom Fraser and Janna to interrogate the system and command picture taking.
Although the BOREALIS APRS payload was working like a champ, I communicated with Marty Griffin, EOSS tracking coordinator to have his team take coordinated DF bearings on my 2 m beacon during the descent. Had there been a problem with the APRS system this would have been a life saver with respect to getting the flight string recovered.
The burst was low, less than 80k feet, and we tracked it to the ground. It landed about 50 yards away from us, but we were a little slow on the draw to get a nice landing shot, as in some prior flights.
It was a really cool event, hats off to Chris Koehler for organizing it and I'm wondering how many fledgling near space groups will be born from this event.
- KMC KC0JHQ
Shots taken by onboard camera.
Mark [KC�JHQ] (second from left) commands camera to take this portrait prior to liftoff
Shot taken shortly after burst, approximately 75k feet
Just prior to touchdown the command was sent to grab this picture