Flight 45 will be conducted out of Pella, IA as part of the greater Great Plains Super Launch. The flight string will consist of two APRS trackers, a Horus tracker, and a couple of cameras.
Flight Parameters
Launch Date/Time | Saturday June 20, 2026 at 8:30am (13:30Z) |
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Alternative Date | n/a | |
Launch Site | Pella Christian High School |
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Alternate Launch Site | n/a |
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Capsule 1 (Track) | Tracker: ptFlex tracker signing W0ZC-12
Sensors: BME280 - temperature and barometric pressure. Beaconing:
Cameras: Canon 570-IS with CHDK firmware | 0.34kg |
Capsule 2 | Cameras: Runman 5 | 0.25kg |
Capsule 3 | Tracker: Horus RS41 tracker signing W0ZC
| 0.10kg |
Capsule 4 (Track) | Tracker: Battery powered ptFlex signing W0ZC-11
Sensors: n/a Beaconing: Time Slot
Cameras:
| 0.72kg |
Recovery / Misc | Parachute and misc rigging. | 0.30kg |
Flight Weight | Total neck weight on balloon. | 1.71kg |
Balloon / Gas | 1200g Kaymont with 4.2cu meters of Hydrogen.
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Estimated Burst Altitude | 31,300m MSL (102,700') |
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Estimated Ascent Rate | 5.1m/s (1,000'/min) |
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Estimated Descent Rate | 5.3m/s (1,040'/min) velocity at touch-down. |
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Chase Frequencies | 446.100MHz |
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NOTAM Filed | Group NOTAM |
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Flight Predictions
June 17, 2026
We're tending to stablize on a southeast track towards Fairfield, IA. The distance has stretched out slightly to 61 miles, but still very simliar to the past days.
Surface weather in Pella on Saturday is still showing a small chance of rain, but overall partly cloudy with low surface winds. The high for Saturday is in the low 80'sF.
June 15, 2026
The flight trajectories have been shifting from east-northeast to east-southeast over the past few days. The length of the chase has been extending out to over 50 miles as well.
June 12, 2026
A short chase to the east is expected from this year's GPSL flight.