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Problem
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Solution
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Finding a balloon
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Help from
NASA?
Keith Koehler at NASA Wallops comes through big time!
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Air traffic
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Call Langley AFB
= Max. alt. 400 feet
Given clearance to 450' day of 1st flight, but radio range
limited to about 200. Clearance edges up to around 500' on
subsequent flights. We fudge a bit past that.
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Kind of
rope
to use? Strong but light. Nylon?
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NASA Langley's Jeff Hinkley recommends 20 pound
test. We test kite line to 5kg limit of scale.
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Ensure max alt. not > 400'
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Pre-measured monofilament? We measure
circumference of hose reel drum. Count revolutions as we
wind line. Put varicolored flags at every 50' as indicators.
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How high the balloon has to go
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Minimum 300 feet. Turns out due to inability to
accurately aim the cameras, 500 feet is closer to reality.
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How many people have to hold the rope
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E-mail Megan's dad about it
Two hose reels with two to three kids each sufficient.
Happier with a third line on gusty days.
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Weight of video camera
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Used spring scale = 5.5 pounds
Still compact camera about 1 pound. Complete "Gizmo" about 2
pounds on 5/4/98 with Canon compact. Ice chest rig with
motor-drive Nikon tips scale at 5 pounds, but works
brilliantly.
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Rope burn
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Wear gloves (James Redmiles
brings batter's gloves, work perfectly)/use winches.
Naomi suggests hose reels. Brilliant! Mr. Baumgardner &
Mrs. Black supply their hose reels, plus my kite reel. Mr.
B. and Mrs. B. grow weary of garden hose entanglements at
home. Hit up PTA for our own?
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Balloon flying away with camera
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Multiple tethers. Finally settled on three.
Coordinating the releasing and gathering of line somewhat of
a headache.
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Supplier for rope?
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Mrs. Siemann, etc. Used nylon kite line, then
monofilament.
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Weather
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Visit
Weather-Related Sites, Call
Airport?
Stuck with lousy day on first mission due to tank having to
go back. Two subsequent attempts better.
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Supplier for helium?
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Mrs.
Ostendorff aware of supplier - What grade helium? Party
tanks only 50% He?
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How big a balloon/how much helium needed?
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E-mail NASA
scientist Ed Celarier
One large, industrial-grade tank good for two flights of
300g balloon. Approx. cost per flight: $50.
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Camera Stability & Aiming
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Multiple lines. Not a big problem with still
camera, even on a windy day. Higher shutter speeds/faster
film would help (400 asa initially).
Mission II went to 800 ASA film with 20mm Nikon.
Some slight fuzziness probably due to camera motion, but it
was very windy.
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Still camera triggering, lens choice, etc.
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E-mail Mr. L's
photographer brother in law.
Cannibalized Mr. L's son's radio control car. Limited range
to about 200 feet. Cannibalized Melody Black's hubby's
serious R/C car (nice Futaba set) range seems well beyond
the 600 feet or so we reached.
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How to attach lines?
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Wrap balloons
in netting?
(We ended up just attaching everything to the balloon's
nozzle with nylon wire ties. Works okay, but is fraught with
peril.
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