Pre-launch info, General
- This Flight's Purpose
- This flight will attempt to cross the Atlantic Ocean.
- Date and Time of Launch
- 00:00 UTC April 6 (8:00 PM EST Apr 5).
- Launch Location
- Google Map to Downtown Island Airport, Knoxville, TN
Spectators please arrive at 7! Delays are possible depending on weather.
- Flight Plan Summary
- This flight will be the fifth test, which has a good chance of making it all the way across the ocean. This time the balloon will take off briskly from Knoxville, and climb to a float around 35,000 - 40,000 ft. At the next day's sunset, a significant fraction of ballast weight will be dropped to accommodate the loss of solar heating lift.
Pre-launch info, Detailed:
This flight is intended to test balloon float performance, ballast control software, and ballast flow rate.
- Launch Timeline, Times indicated are in reference to Launch at T-0h 0m.
T-2h SNOX Setup Crew Arrives at launch site
T-1h 50m Set up local DTRC receiver inside FBO
T-1h 45m payload unpacking begins
T-1h 30m payload is energized outdoors with internal battery,
voltage levels are checked, memory is cleared after
GPS has lock
T-1h 15m Crew goes to pick up helium
T-1h Weather is reviewed for launch Go or No Go
T-40m balloon is attached to payload flight train
T-25m Final radio reception checks are made
T-20m Payload is stretched out downwind of balloon on the ground
T-15m Helium tank is connected to balloon
T-10m balloon inflation begins
T-4m balloon inflation ends
T-3m30s balloon disconnected from helium tank
T-3m balloon is allowed to raise flight train, anchored at bottom
T-2m Radio telemetry checked for any abnormalities
T-30s local air traffic is checked for conflicting traffic
T-0 Balloon is released.
- Receiving the Balloon's radio signal
- Ham Radio and Shortwave Listeners- please download the Distributed Tracking and Relay Client http://dtrc.utarc.org/ to receive and relay telemetry to the live tracking page. Without you, the balloon will be lost!
- Radio Frequencies
- Center Carrier Frequency: 10.146 while west of 66W Longitude. 10.126 while east of 66W Longitude. Tune 1200hz up while using LSB for DTRC. (Radio tx is disabled over United Kingdom)
- Radio Telemetry Format and Schedule, see DTRC Status page
- Callsign: AA4UT
- Mission Hypothesis/Flight profile
-
Takeoff, climb at 1000 FPM to 35,000 - 40,000 ft. Ride jet stream to Europe.
- Power
- 5v - Flight Computer and GPS
- 12v - Radio TX, electric heater and Solenoid
- Envelope
- Zero Pressure Trans-Atlantic balloon designed and built by Mark Caviezel, NG0X, of Global Western Industries
Pre-launch info, General
- This Flight's Purpose
- This flight will attempt to cross the Atlantic Ocean.
- Date and Time of Launch
- 02:00-03:00 UTC March 11 (10:00-11:00 PM EST Mar 10).
- Launch Location
- Google Map to Downtown Island Airport, Knoxville, TN
- Flight Plan Summary
- This flight will be the fourth test, which has a good chance of making it all the way across the ocean. This time the balloon will take off briskly from Knoxville, and climb to a float around 35,000 ft. At the next day's sunset, a significant fraction of ballast weight will be dropped to accommodate the loss of solar heating lift.
Pre-launch info, Detailed:
This flight is intended to test balloon float performance, ballast control software, and new ballast high flow rate.
- Launch Timeline, Times indicated are in reference to Launch at T-0h 0m.
T-2h SNOX Setup Crew Arrives at launch site
T-1h 50m Set up local DTRC receiver inside FBO
T-1h 45m payload unpacking begins
T-1h 30m payload is energized outdoors with internal battery,
voltage levels are checked, memory is cleared after
GPS has lock
T-1h 15m Crew goes to pick up helium
T-1h Weather is reviewed for launch Go or No Go
T-40m balloon is attached to payload flight train
T-25m Final radio reception checks are made
T-20m Payload is stretched out downwind of balloon on the ground
T-15m Helium tank is connected to balloon
T-5m balloon inflation begins
T-4m balloon inflation ends
T-3m30s balloon disconnected from helium tank
T-3m balloon is allowed to raise flight train, anchored at bottom
T-2m Radio telemetry checked for any abnormalities
T-30s local air traffic is checked for conflicting traffic
T-0 Balloon is released.
- Receiving the Balloon's radio signal
- Ham Radio and Shortwave Listeners- please download the Distributed Tracking and Relay Client http://dtrc.utarc.org/ to receive and relay telemetry to the live tracking page. Without you, the balloon will be lost!
- Radio Frequencies
- ~10.146 LSB RTTY & CW Telemetry while outside of UK.
(Radio tx is disabled over United Kingdom)
- Radio Telemetry Format and Schedule, see DTRC Status page
- Mission Hypothesis/Flight profile
-
Takeoff, climb at 1000 FPM to 35,000 ft. Ride jet stream to Europe.
- Power
- 5v - Flight Computer and GPS
- 12v - Radio TX, electric heater and Solenoid
- Envelope
- Zero Pressure Trans-Atlantic balloon designed and built by Mark Caviezel, NG0X, of Global Western Industries
Pre-launch info, General
- This Flight's Purpose
- This flight will attempt to cross the Atlantic Ocean.
- Date and Time of Launch
- 00:00-03:00 UTC January 15 (7:00-10:00 PM EST Jan 14).
- Launch Location
- Google Map to Downtown Island Airport, Knoxville, TN
- Flight Plan Summary
- This flight will be the third test, which has a modest chance of making it all the way across the ocean. This time the balloon will take off briskly from Knoxville, and climb to a float around 35,000 ft. At the next day's sunset, a significant fraction of ballast weight will be dropped to accommodate the loss of solar heating lift.
Pre-launch info, Detailed:
This flight is intended to test balloon float performance, ballast control software, and new ballast flow rate.
- Launch Timeline, Times indicated are in reference to Launch at T-0h 0m.
T-2h SNOX Setup Crew Arrives at launch site
T-1h 30m payload and balloon unpacking begins
T-1h 15m payload is energized with ground power for a systems check, internal battery levels are checked
T-1h Weather is reviewed for launch Go or No Go
T-50m Payload is positioned outside with sky view for GPS lock and radio tests, running on internal power.
T-40m balloon is attached to payload flight train
T-25m Final radio reception checks are made
T-20m Payload is stretched out downwind of balloon on the ground
T-15m Helium tank is connected to balloon
T-5m balloon inflation begins
T-4m balloon inflation ends
T-3m30s balloon disconnected from helium tank
T-3m balloon is allowed to raise flight train, anchored at bottom
T-2m Radio telemetry checked for any abnormalities
T-30s local air traffic is checked for conflicting traffic
T-0 Balloon is released.
- Receiving the Balloon's radio signal
- Ham Radio and Shortwave Listeners- please download the Distributed Tracking and Relay Client http://dtrc.utarc.org/ to receive and relay telemetry to the live tracking page. Without you, the balloon will be lost!
- Radio Frequencies
- 144.390 Mhz AA4UT-11 APRS beacon (while over USA only)
- 10.126 RTTY LSB/CW Telemetry (while outside of USA and UK)
- Radio Telemetry Format and Schedule
- 30M: UTARC RTTY Telemetry version 202
- 30M: CW Telemetry Version 300
- 2M: UTARC APRS Telemetry Version 124
- Mission Hypothesis/Flight profile
-
- Power
- 4.5v 12Ah - Flight Computer and GPS
- 12v 9Ah pack - Both Radio TXs and Solenoid
- 6v 6Ah pack - internal electric heater
- Envelope
- Zero Pressure Trans-Atlantic balloon designed and built by Mark Caviezel, NG0X, of Global Western Industries
Pre-launch info, General
- This Flight's Purpose
- This flight will test the software and a new balloon design.
- Date and Time of Launch
- 03:00 UTC January 4 (10:00 PM EST Jan 3).
- Launch Location
- Google Map to Downtown Island Airport, Knoxville, TN
- Flight Plan Summary
- This flight will be the second test, which has a modest chance of making it all the way across the ocean. This time the balloon will take off slowly from Knoxville, and climb to a float around 35,000 ft. At sunset, a significant fraction of ballast weight will be dropped to accommodate the loss of solar heating lift.
Pre-launch info, Detailed:
- Launch Timeline, Times indicated are in reference to Launch at T-0h 0m.
T-2h SNOX Setup Crew Arrives at launch site
T-1h 30m payload and balloon unpacking begins
T-1h 15m payload is energized with ground power for a systems check, internal battery levels are checked
T-1h ballast bottle is filled
T-50m Payload is positioned outside with sky view for GPS lock and radio tests, still on ground power.
T-40m balloon inflation begins inside hangar, top folded down for vertical clearance
T-25m Payload is tied to balloon inside hangar, final checks are made that radio reception is good
T-20m Payload is switched to internal batteries, battery levels are verified
T-15m Balloon is walked out of hangar
T-8m Balloon is unfurled
T-5m local air traffic is checked for conflicting traffic
T-3m Balloon is walked out to launch site
T-1m Radio telemetry checked for any abnormalities
T-0 Balloon is released.
- Receiving the Balloon's radio signal
- Ham Radio and Shortwave Listeners- please download the Distributed Tracking and Relay Client http://www.utarc.org/wiki/index.php/DTRC to receive and relay telemetry to the live tracking page. Without you, the balloon will be lost!
- Radio Frequencies
- 144.390 Mhz AA4UT-11 APRS beacon (while over USA only)
- 10.1257 RTTY/CW Telemetry (while outside of USA and UK)
- Radio Telemetry Format and Schedule
- 30M: UTARC RTTY Telemetry version 20#
- 30M: CW Telemetry Version 300
- 2M: UTARC APRS Telemetry Version 124
- Mission Hypothesis/Flight profile
-
- Power
- 4.5v 12Ah - Flight Computer and GPS
- 12v 9Ah pack - Both Radio TXs and Solenoid
- 6v 6Ah pack - internal electric heater
- Envelope
- Zero Pressure balloon designed and built by Mark Caviezel, NG0X, of Global Western
Post-launch analysis, General
Map of flight path
Stats
Max Altitude: 11635m 38172 ft
Min Temperatures: In: +7C/44F Out: -19C/-2F
Max Speed 59 kts reported, estimated 100 kts in non-reporting segment of flight
- Conclusion
- Successuflly tested the full scale balloon and electronics system, good experience was learned. Inflation methods were figured out using this large balloon, and ATC communications were improved.
