Since the package from HamBONE-LD2 was found and
returned, we plan to launch it again as HamBONE-LD3. It looks like there
is a launch window (light upper winds) on September 6 - 8, 2001.
Again we will use an ML-541A latex envelope and launch in the evening.
We will try to use even less free lift than we did on LD2.
Launched successfully 22:04Z 7 Sept 2001
A beautiful launch this evening, after two attempts this morning that both ended in trees. We have our fingers crossed that the 30g free lift value we chose will not result in too fast a rise. Sunset should slow it down somewhat in about an hour and a half.
Flight report
Like LD2, this flight did not break any records. Again, we had a nice liftoff
and encouragingly slow rate of rise, but again the balloon sprang a leak after
an hour or so. The altitude at that time was about 14,000 feet. The descent
phase took quite a long time -- over 3 hours! -- but the total time aloft only
came to 4 hours 12 minutes. No signal reports were received after
landing, and we elected not to chase the downed package for its $20 worth
of electronics.
Our conclusion is that these ML-541A latex balloons are too old. They must
have weak or brittle spots that open up when the balloon starts to expand.
The one we test inflated with an air blower seemed OK, but maybe
in cold air the problem is worse. In any case, we won't use any more
balloons from this lot for long duration missions.
Raw telemetry data - transcribed with CWGet
The payload package included:
Telemetry format (sent every 2 minutes) :
Press this button for an email link:
VVV DE KA2QPG/BALLOON LD3 UP #H ##M ALT ### OAT [NEG] ##C BAT #R#V AR
where:
UP = time since launch in hours and minutes
ALT = barometric pressure in random units
OAT = outside air temperature in whole degrees C
BAT = primary battery voltage in volts and tenths
