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Taking Linux to New Heights

Posted by timothy on from the laden-with-detail dept.

JimDog writes "Literally. I've created a web site documenting the construction and launch of a high altitude 'weather' balloon, with a payload that runs Linux. The project was a great success, reached an altitude of 80,000 feet, and took some really amazing aerial photos."

2 of 224 comments (clear)

  1. Cool project, well done, but not new. by FireballFreddy · · Score: 5, Informative

    HABET (High Altitude Balloon Experiments in Technology) is one organization that has been doing this for years (I believe there are many). About 4 years ago I helped on a project that used two cameras, one with color film and one infrared. The cameras were triggered based on GPS altitude data so we examine the resulting photos and determine the difference in atmospheric interference (the clouds and graininess you see in his pics) and potentially combine the data from the color and infrared film to eliminate the interference.

    I don't know where the interference-correction went since I graduated and fled the state, but I do know that triggering the cameras based on GPS altitude worked because I wrote that portion of the PIC code. There's something very satisfying about lifting a payload a few feet into the air and hearing the cameras go *click* when you reach an altitude threshold. Kudos to this guy for making so many pieces come together.

    -FF

    --
    SQUEAK, the Death of Rats explained.
  2. Re:Photos are fine ... however ... by br0ck · · Score: 5, Informative

    I believe that most airliners fly much lower than 80,000 feet. It looks like the airport's airspace is Class B which only goes to 10,000 feet. Airspace over 60,000 feet is Class G uncontrolled. I wonder if he could have tracked his balloon using the spiffy java San Jose Airport Monitor? ;)