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Flight #11 - 2004c (GPSL)

This will be Project: Traveler's entry into the 2004 Great Plains Super Launch in Hutchinson, Kansas. This flight will conclude the testing of the new, time-slotted firmware, as well as Jon Riley's (AJ0NR) high-alitude capsule.

Flight Parameters
Launch Date/Time Saturday, 3 July 2004 at 8:00am
Alternative Date Sunday, 4 July 2004 at 8:00am
Launch Site Sunflower Aerodrome   (37° 55.58'N,  97° 54.37'W) near Hutchinson, KS
Primary Transmitter / Antenna VX-1R HT running APRS on 144.34MHz / Vertically polarized dipole
Backup Transmitter / Antenna Radio Shack HT running APRS on 144.39MHz / Vertically polarized dipole
Balloon / Gas Kaysam 1200gram / 220 cu feet of Helium
Estimated Burst Altitude 95,000' MSL
Estimated Ascent Rate 1000' per minute
Estimated Descent Rate Approx. 1100' per minute at touchdown
Capsule(s) weight 5lb 3oz including parachute, rigging, batteries, etc...
Chase Frequencies 146.49MHz, 7.2535MHz
Balloon Finder Telemetry Mode PT Mode 2

 

Flight Results

The Great Plains Super Launch was awesome this year with a total of six balloons lifting off all at the same time.

Flight Statistics
Launch Date/Time Saturday, 3 July at 8:57am
Launch Site McPherson Airport   (38° 21.146'N, 97° 41.479'W) in McPherson, KS
Burst Altitude About 94,467ft (28,794m) MSL
Average Ascent Rate 1159ft/min (5.89m/s)
Measured Descent Rate 1257ft/min (6.39m/s)
Touchdown Site 1 mile east of Newton, KS (38° 1.7085'N, 96° 18.2869'W)
Touchdown Time Saturday, 3 July 2004 at 10:56am
Recovery Time Saturday 3 July 2004 at 11:10am
Distance Traveled 78 miles (126km) as the crow flies
Total Flight Time 1 hour 59 minutes
Downloads Lat/Lon File, Log File, Flight Analysis

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Lessons Learned

  • We flew two Lithium-Ion packs - one for the camcorder and one for the backup beacon. Both packs worked perfectly.
  • We had a downward facing camcorder, however some water got on the plexiglass shield after the capsule was set down in some dewy grass.