Test Flight
The first flight was a test flight performed on Wednesday, February 22 2012. The weather conditions were very good, calm winds and temperature around 0° Celsius. In this flight we used 3000 gr. balloon filled up with helium with free lift 200 gr, a parachute, a styrofoam box and ballast. The styrofoam box contained the electronic equipment; phone streaming video, SPOT tracker and temperature logger. The ballast is to simulate the weight of the model and other equipment in the main flight, made of 10 liter container filled up with dried sand.
Trajectory
During the days preceding the launch we ran the University of Wyoming Balloon Trajectory Forecast and monitored the local and aviation weather forecast. We were aiming for a day with calm winds at ground level to make balloon handling possible and easterly high altitude winds to keep the flight over land. We picked the 22 of February is it gave us an acceptable flight path and a landing site accessible using 4x4's.
During the days preceding the launch we ran the University of Wyoming Balloon Trajectory Forecast and monitored the local and aviation weather forecast. We were aiming for a day with calm winds at ground level to make balloon handling possible and easterly high altitude winds to keep the flight over land. We picked the 22 of February is it gave us an acceptable flight path and a landing site accessible using 4x4's.
Authorization
On the morning of the launch day we didn't have authorization for the flight due to complications with processing our application. We managed to enlist the help of Þorgeir Pálsson, a lecturer at RU and former director general of the Icelandic Civil Aviation Administration. With his help we received approval of the launch on me morning of the launch day.
On the morning of the launch day we didn't have authorization for the flight due to complications with processing our application. We managed to enlist the help of Þorgeir Pálsson, a lecturer at RU and former director general of the Icelandic Civil Aviation Administration. With his help we received approval of the launch on me morning of the launch day.
Payload
The test flight payload consisted of a styrofoam box containing the electronics (Samsung Galaxy Note and SPOT) in CNC milled inserts. Packed behind the Samsung Note was a small chemical glove warmer. To simulate the extra equipment and the model that would be included on the main flight a plastic container with dry sand was a suspended from the equipment container.
The test flight payload consisted of a styrofoam box containing the electronics (Samsung Galaxy Note and SPOT) in CNC milled inserts. Packed behind the Samsung Note was a small chemical glove warmer. To simulate the extra equipment and the model that would be included on the main flight a plastic container with dry sand was a suspended from the equipment container.
Launch preperation
On the morning of the launch day we needed to move all our supplies and equipment to the launch hangar. The previous day we built a filling platform from tarp stretched over a frame made from euro pellets. When everything was in place the filling of the balloon and the final assembly of the payload started.
On the morning of the launch day we needed to move all our supplies and equipment to the launch hangar. The previous day we built a filling platform from tarp stretched over a frame made from euro pellets. When everything was in place the filling of the balloon and the final assembly of the payload started.
Launch
When the balloon had been filled with the predetermined amount of helium, the payload was attached and the balloon was maneuvered outside. Once outside and clear of the hangar, the balloon was released and it ascended, albeit slowly.
When the balloon had been filled with the predetermined amount of helium, the payload was attached and the balloon was maneuvered outside. Once outside and clear of the hangar, the balloon was released and it ascended, albeit slowly.
Video
Tracking
After launching we watched the live stream from phone and watched the track from phone and the SPOT. When it was in 11 km height after one and half hour of flight the SPOT stopped sending signals and after two hours the phone stop sending signalat a height of 18km. At this point the balloon was roughly over the middle of Iceland. It went up with average speed about 2 m/s. When there was six hours from launch time the spot finally kicked back in. Then it was on 33 m/s speed going down into the Atlantic right between Iceland and Faroe Island. At that moment we realized that we're not going to recover it.
After launching we watched the live stream from phone and watched the track from phone and the SPOT. When it was in 11 km height after one and half hour of flight the SPOT stopped sending signals and after two hours the phone stop sending signalat a height of 18km. At this point the balloon was roughly over the middle of Iceland. It went up with average speed about 2 m/s. When there was six hours from launch time the spot finally kicked back in. Then it was on 33 m/s speed going down into the Atlantic right between Iceland and Faroe Island. At that moment we realized that we're not going to recover it.
uResults
All in all we consider the test flight successful. We were only able to track the balloon for a part of it's voyage. The SPOT worked to an altitude of 11km and the phone tracker to an altitude of 18km. Presumably the phone tracker would have continued to function but the 3G connection was lost. The live video feed from the phone worked for around 30 minutes, or until the phone had a short signal dropout, the tracker survived the dropout but the stream didn't restart. Judging from our ascent speed, flight duration and landing site we need a lot more free lift to increase the ascent speed.
All in all we consider the test flight successful. We were only able to track the balloon for a part of it's voyage. The SPOT worked to an altitude of 11km and the phone tracker to an altitude of 18km. Presumably the phone tracker would have continued to function but the 3G connection was lost. The live video feed from the phone worked for around 30 minutes, or until the phone had a short signal dropout, the tracker survived the dropout but the stream didn't restart. Judging from our ascent speed, flight duration and landing site we need a lot more free lift to increase the ascent speed.