Slashdot Mirror

Here you go, some random pictures that I find the most amazing. They are full quality, hence the long download times.

http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01327.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01345.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01349.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01421.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01441.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01463.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01491.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01592.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01658.JPG

Here you go, some random pictures that I find the most amazing. They are full quality, hence the long download times.

http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01327.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01345.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01349.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01421.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01441.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01463.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01491.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01592.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01658.JPG

Here you go, some random pictures that I find the most amazing. They are full quality, hence the long download times.

http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01327.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01345.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01349.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01421.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01441.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01463.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01491.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01592.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01658.JPG

Here you go, some random pictures that I find the most amazing. They are full quality, hence the long download times.

http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01327.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01345.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01349.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01421.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01441.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01463.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01491.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01592.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01658.JPG

Here you go, some random pictures that I find the most amazing. They are full quality, hence the long download times.

http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01327.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01345.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01349.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01421.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01441.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01463.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01491.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01592.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01658.JPG

Here you go, some random pictures that I find the most amazing. They are full quality, hence the long download times.

http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01327.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01345.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01349.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01421.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01441.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01463.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01491.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01592.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01658.JPG

Here you go, some random pictures that I find the most amazing. They are full quality, hence the long download times.

http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01327.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01345.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01349.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01421.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01441.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01463.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01491.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01592.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01658.JPG

Here you go, some random pictures that I find the most amazing. They are full quality, hence the long download times.

http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01327.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01345.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01349.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01421.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01441.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01463.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01491.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01592.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01658.JPG

Here you go, some random pictures that I find the most amazing. They are full quality, hence the long download times.

http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01327.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01345.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01349.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01421.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01441.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01463.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01491.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01592.JPG
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/DSC01658.JPG

Give us a clue. At about 1 minute per photo I'm not going to download them all looking for a sunset. All I've found so far is sky and gutlords.

Speaking from personal experience with the near space launches I have completed with a team (http://nearspace.0x58.com) located in Arizona, I hope they don't make the mistake of putting the GPS on the outside of the box. During our second balloon launch we launched closer to night so that we could attempt to get photo's of the sun setting (and boy did we succeed: http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Payload_Camera/).

However what we had not counted on was the fact that the temperature would drop so low that the GPS would literally freeze and stop responding and completely shut off, until it got low enough, and warm enough again to turn on. We thought we had lost our package payload.

Other than that, since the balloons are going to follow whatever winds they can find, how are they going to make sure that the area they want to service has a balloon above it at all times? What if the wind is going in the wrong direction? As for recovering the devices, will they be water proof? What if it lands in a lake, or body of water? What about high up on the mountain side somewhere?

Definitely interesting and something to watch in the near future, if this is cheaper than launching a satellite and can be done in a sustainable method and still provide adequate phone service or other services using near space technology!

They run Linux! In one of the photos it can be clearly seen that the user is running KDE:
http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/CONNERY-2/pictures/Sean's_Camera/DSC_2061.jpg

(Notice the Amarok icon)

You can't launch in specific air space, and yes it has to be X miles away from an airport. It does not need to reflect radar in any way shape or form, so cardboard with aluminium foil is not required. Also, the load line has no specific specs on it what so ever, the only thing is that the package can not be more than 12 pounds total, and those 12 pounds have to be distributed between two seperate containers that can be tied together using load lines, but each one has a max limit of 6 pounds.

Also, the ascent rate does not matter in terms of when it is going to break, the balloon is going to break when the pressure of the gas inside causes the balloon to burst because the atmosphere is not putting enough pressure on the latex balloon to keep the latex from stretching any further. It is like a condom, you fill it with water, and the higher the pressure inside the condom will eventually burst. That being said, depending on wind conditions at the different layers you will want it to ascent faster or slower so that it follows a path you can predict. Also, if you don't put enough gas in the latex balloon the package can become a counter balance and the balloon will stay stuck at a layer in the stratosphere and never rise far enough for it to pop. Much like the weather balloons the national weather service uses.

Generally the faster it rises, the more likely it is going to be recovered closely to the launch site, since there is less chance for the wind to grab it and drag it along.

As for the styrofoam box, you are absolutely correct, it does have to be in one to survive because of the extreme temperatures. Also, you generally have the GPS record the location, not transmit the actual data which is generally done using a standard off the shelf HAM radio with a TNC and an antenna hanging out of the box. On our last flight (CONNERY-2) we actually lost GPS for a while because the GPS receiver actually froze up because of the outside temperature thereby we "lost" our near space craft.

Check out our website http://nearspace.0x58.com/ if you would like more information about the flights we have flown (CONNERY-1 and CONNERY-2), pictures are available at http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/.

You can't launch in specific air space, and yes it has to be X miles away from an airport. It does not need to reflect radar in any way shape or form, so cardboard with aluminium foil is not required. Also, the load line has no specific specs on it what so ever, the only thing is that the package can not be more than 12 pounds total, and those 12 pounds have to be distributed between two seperate containers that can be tied together using load lines, but each one has a max limit of 6 pounds.

Also, the ascent rate does not matter in terms of when it is going to break, the balloon is going to break when the pressure of the gas inside causes the balloon to burst because the atmosphere is not putting enough pressure on the latex balloon to keep the latex from stretching any further. It is like a condom, you fill it with water, and the higher the pressure inside the condom will eventually burst. That being said, depending on wind conditions at the different layers you will want it to ascent faster or slower so that it follows a path you can predict. Also, if you don't put enough gas in the latex balloon the package can become a counter balance and the balloon will stay stuck at a layer in the stratosphere and never rise far enough for it to pop. Much like the weather balloons the national weather service uses.

Generally the faster it rises, the more likely it is going to be recovered closely to the launch site, since there is less chance for the wind to grab it and drag it along.

As for the styrofoam box, you are absolutely correct, it does have to be in one to survive because of the extreme temperatures. Also, you generally have the GPS record the location, not transmit the actual data which is generally done using a standard off the shelf HAM radio with a TNC and an antenna hanging out of the box. On our last flight (CONNERY-2) we actually lost GPS for a while because the GPS receiver actually froze up because of the outside temperature thereby we "lost" our near space craft.

Check out our website http://nearspace.0x58.com/ if you would like more information about the flights we have flown (CONNERY-1 and CONNERY-2), pictures are available at http://nearspace.0x58.com/launches/.