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A View Above the Clouds
This summer, the Bridgeport Robotics Society and the Bridgeport Discovery Museum are planning to launch a High Altitude Balloon. The balloon is expected to climb to over 100,000 ft altitude. The balloon will be used as a testbed for equipment and technology that may later be used on a Low Earth Orbit Satellite project.
Proposed Equipment List:
- Altitude Monitoring
- Temperature Monitoring
- Humidity Monitoring
- Master Control Microprocessor
- GPS / APRS Position / Tracking
- Camera Servo System
- Live Video
- High Res Still Photos
- Two Way VHF Radio
- Two Way UHF Radio
- Additional Equipment TBD
Click on these images to see typical Projected Balloon Trajectory plots.
Special thanks to the University of Wyoming and Google Earth for providing this high altitude balloon trajectory service.
Photo: Aerostar International Website
Photo: Aerostar International Website
The Balloon Plan:
- The Planned Launch Location for the balloon is at or near the Discovery Museum on Park Avenue in Bridgeport, CT.
- The Planned Launch Date is Mid-Summer 2011. The exact date will depend on volunteers, funding, material availability and weather.
- Chase cars and possibly chase boats may be needed for recovery, depending on the wind direction.
- Mission Control Headquarters will be located at the Discovery Museum.
- Amateur Radio volunteers will be asked to assist in tracking the balloon using APRS equipment.
- All instrument and telemetry data, and video and still images will be available to anyone with compatible Amateur Radio receiving equipment.
- More information will be posted here as the project solidifies.
