[islandlabs] Balloon launch, etc

[Burns, William]

Sean:
There is no max decent rate.
Our payload is supposed to do no permanent injury to a human in the event of a landing without a parachute.
(assuming a headstrike, and total parachute failure)

What we've been daydreaming about is a system that uses GPS (which we have to have anyway) along with an ardupilot glider to bring the payload back to a safe landing area. (possibly the launch site)
The idea would be to take an ardupilot, and combine it with a trackuino to send AX.25/APRS signals.
http://www.trackuino.org/

Using a glider to provide a controlled decent seems like adding a lot of complexity (relative to using a parachute) if we can't get more out of it. (though that might be a good first step on the way to controlled flight)

-Bill

> -----Original Message-----
> From: list-bounces at freeculture.org 
> [mailto:list-bounces at freeculture.org] On Behalf Of Sean Rodger
> Sent: Monday, July 25, 2011 10:49 AM
> To: 'Island Labs main mailing list'
> Subject: Re: [islandlabs] Balloon launch, etc
> 
> Hey,
>   Sorry I haven't been into this email account since Friday - 
> super busy weekend (wedding anniversary, trip into Brooklyn, 
> and I set up a camera system/dvr.).
> I should have mentioned in my original post email that I was 
> unable to attend on Saturday .  I've had some ideas about how 
> to steer the decent, but I think that the Styrofoam glider 
> idea is the best. 
> It allows for a fast decent and that minimizes the effect of 
> wind.  Steering a slower moving parachute is easier, but wind 
> will still carry it further I think if the decent is slower.
> Also, instead of an actively controlled decent, the glider 
> could just be fixed for a spiral decent.  Is there a maximum 
> decent rate allowed by law?
> 
> Sean
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: list-bounces at freeculture.org 
> [mailto:list-bounces at freeculture.org] On Behalf Of Burns, William
> Sent: Saturday, July 23, 2011 12:37 AM
> To: Island Labs main mailing list
> Subject: Re: [islandlabs] Balloon launch, etc
> 
> Sean:
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for doing the course prediction.
> 
> Wow. It looks like that balloon course was straight down. (south)
> 
> I don't like the exact landing spot, but it seems like it's 
> surrounded by farmland, so if the predictions are off a bit, 
> it could land in a good retrievable spot.
> 
> 
> 
> It's also *kinda* close to Airhaven Airport.
> 
> If it goes off course in that direction it could be a serious problem.
> 
> Maybe there's a better launch location for this weather pattern.
> 
> 
> 
> For the record, I'm available Saturday if there's a chase 
> team ready to go.
> 
> Helium tanks, a station-wagon, a boat and a weather balloon 
> are packed and all set.
> 
> Sean: If you're ready+willing to go tomorrow, please send me 
> your phone number. (with a direct e-mail, not on the list)
> 
> 
> 
> We'd need Joe (and others) to chime in here too.
> 
> Since I haven't seen anybody else respond on the list, I 
> assume that we can't launch this weekend.
> 
> 
> 
> If the launch situation changes, someone please give me a call.
> 
> 
> 
> -Bill
> 
> (516) 367-6813
> 
> 
> 
> ________________________________
> From: list-bounces at freeculture.org 
> [list-bounces at freeculture.org] on behalf of Sean Rodger 
> [srodger1 at optonline.net]
> Sent: Friday, July 22, 2011 10:23 AM
> To: List at freeculture.org
> Subject: [islandlabs] Balloon launch, etc
> 
> Hi everyone,
> Per our discussion on Wednesday, Here is the predicted landing site:
> http://maps.google.com/maps?q=41.838+-73.7057&hl=en&sll=40.746
555,-73.993328
> &sspn=0.031407,0.066047&t=h&z=17
> 
> It looks like a semi-rural area surrounded by a good network of roads.
> Weather forecast for Clinton Corners, NY tomorrow is mostly 
> sunny, high of
> 97 F, 20% chance of rain, winds at 5-10mph.
> Forecast for Rosco, NY is mostly sunny, high of 94 F, winds 
> at 5-10mph.
> 
> Here is the launch information I entereded into the CUSF 
> landing predictor:
> Lat/Lon: 41.9302/-74.9079
> Launch altitude: 395m
> Launch time: 15:00 UTC (10:00 EST)
> Date: 23 July 2011
> Ascent rate: 5.85 m/s
> Burst Alt: 20,000m
> Descent rate: 5.85 m/s
> 
> 
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