Test Balloon Launch.

[nebulosity.]

I'm getting ready for a high altitude balloon launch in a few weeks to capture some images of black space, and I thought I'd do a test flight with a small 100g balloon. So on sunday I launched a small payload and was able to track it and recover it from near Nanango, after a 5 hour, 160km trip.

I filled the balloon with approximately 600L of hydrogen gas that I made at the time.

Anyway I captured some pics with a small camera that was on the payload so I thought I'd post them incase anybody was interested.

The max hight reached was around 11km.

Cheers
Jo

[nebulosity.]

And some more.

[pluto]

That's awesome!

Have you had much trouble getting CASA approval for your next launch?
(which I assume is larger and will require approval)

[nebulosity.]

Yeah, still working on it but getting there.

Jo

[pluto]

Good luck, I hope it all works out!
A HAB launch has been on my list of things to do for ages, I need to get off my arse and do it :D

[Monstar]

Great pics, I'd love to see the pics from the big flight.

BTW, with the recovery what happens if the wind changes and it gets blown out to sea.

[tilbrook@rbe.ne]

Amazing stuff Jo!:thumbsup:

Hope you get permission for your next launch.
Man it's dry as toast except for the irrigated crops.
Heard on the radio there was a bush fire NW of Brisbane today

Cheers,

Justin.

[xelasnave]

Man that is just the best
Congratulations on a job well done and best wishes for the future
You say you made the hydrogen how did you do that may I ask or is it best we don't know?

[ZeroID]

IM<pressive !! Well done.
Good luck with the big launch.

[LewisM]

Jo, you are truly a Jack of all trades. From making your own telescopes including focuser, to making your own hydrogen. Impressive. And to sound like an old fart, there may just be some bright sparks in the current generation.

Did you split water to make the hydrogen, or acid/metal ;-) Just be careful with the hydrogen, don't need a Cecil Plains Hindenburg, let alone you blowing up with one stray spark.

[Regulus]

How much fun is that! Look forward to the future photos Jo.
I would love to do this but living on the island state means I have to row out to sea to retrieve the camera. Is my reluctance to do this a 'cop out'? :-)
Great pics.
What camera did u use and what will u use for the big one?
Trev

[nebulosity.]

Thanks everyone, glad you like them.

The camera used was a Mobius 1080 movie camera, for the big flight I will be using the Mobius, a Canon A4000 and a Gopro.

To make the Hydrogen I mixed up a brew of about 1kg each of thin scrap aluminium peices and costic soda in 15L of water, it made the needed amount of gas in about 40 minutes.
Will be using helium for the big balloon.

Cheers
Jo

[hotspur]

Amazing! congratulations! well done!

if you ever need a downed balloon picked up around Nanango/Blackbutt/Bunya mountains way, let me know as often out and about doing dingo patrols in these areas,just off for a few days now to Bunyas to pick up trail cameras and traps.