Comments on: Teens Launch Balloon into Space, Take Pictures for Less than $100

By: Krys

Krys — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 16:49:36 +0000

What kind of ballon was being used?

By: Neil C

Neil C — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 18:45:54 +0000

I know of a high school class in Germany that did this a year or more ago following seeing some middle age American suburbanites do it HERE on neatorama.

By: Orjan Morjan

Orjan Morjan — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 22:02:00 +0000

http://www.flickr.com/photos/meteotek08/

If someone hasn’t found it yet.

By: liquidkudzu

liquidkudzu — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 16:53:42 +0000

I don’t have it with me, but fark.com listed the kids’ Flickr page which had all of the pics they took and pics of their equipment.

By: Christophe

Christophe — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 04:35:18 +0000

I have the same white car. I just need a ballon and a camera now

It looks much more complicated than reading the blog entry. Those guys did a pretty good tech job.

By: Anon

Anon — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 22:51:30 +0000

Ray, on the HAM site they show it going up to ~97K ft MSL.

By: Xinavera

Xinavera — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 20:05:16 +0000

It’s a pretty impressive bit of work. Well done, “kids”. This particular quote caught my eye:

“At over 100,000ft the balloon lost its inflation and the equipment was returned to the earth.”

Now there’s a euphemism!

By: Oomi

Oomi — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 19:09:37 +0000

Maybe they can teach NASA a thing or two. Would save us a couple million, eh?

By: Reed H.

Reed H. — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 12:20:19 +0000

Here is the stundents’ website/blog, I think:

http://teslabs.com/meteotek08/

By: linty

linty — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 12:08:41 +0000

On that ham site they seem to have only sent the balloon 5000 feet up, as opposed to 100,000 by these students.

However it does look like there are precedents.

http://www.natrium42.com/halo/flight2/

that site is pretty interesting too. I think perhaps the cost involved here is probably the major improvement, but I’m guessing they probably just had to cross their fingers and hope the camera took some god shots.

By: Ray

Ray — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 10:46:47 +0000

Good for them. But hams have been doing this for years…
http://www.eoss.org/ansrecap/ar_131/recap135.htm
for example. And yes, you do need to get FAA approval and let them know when you launch.

By: Ola Amigo

Ola Amigo — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 04:38:47 +0000

I hear you Charlie. Cheers to this crew! That’s showing your stuff kids. Very impressive indeed.

By: Charlie Flowers

Charlie Flowers — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 04:28:25 +0000

Absolutely incredible! I wish I had been this industrious in high-school.

By: Patricio

Patricio — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 02:41:38 +0000

Great idea…provided that kids don’t start launching balloons and cameras into jet airways. Might want to get an ok from the FAA first.

By: Josh

Josh — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 02:29:03 +0000

Can you even call 20 miles up space? I was always told the 60 mile mark is when you are in space.

By: Randy B

Randy B — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 02:19:00 +0000

I agree with Johnny Cat. Need more details, and oh yes, how about more than one picture ??? Where are the “compelling” pictures ?

Randy

By: Johnny Cat

Johnny Cat — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 01:39:07 +0000

Wow, very impressive. I’d love more detail, though. Especially on how the thing works, and the whole descent factor. Using Google Earth was smart, but how did it descend slow enough to survive impact?