JP Aerospace Blog

The city is on lockdown but the work goes on. Just me at the shop. I’ve been working on anti tip struts for the sub. We’re printing the strut brackets and feet. They don’t bear much load and there will be 20 of them.

The Away 108 balloon 1/4 mile off from the Away 103 balloon. We’re developing docking for Ascender airships & Dark Sky Station using balloons for the 1st steps. Next, pointing control, low thrusting tests, finally balloon bumping at peak altitude. Best guess, an 18 test flight series.

Today we’re pulling all the vertical thrusters off Belle. These are the four 30lb thrust trolling motors controlled with quad copter software. We are sealing the shafts then remounting them. Getting closer and closer to 1st dive.

We’ve been upgrading the airship helium valves. They flew on A129 & they’ll get tested again on Away 130. We’ve changed the plumbing & doubled piston pressure. Here’s a pic of the valves on the last test & some bad drawing to show how it all goes together.

They are going to be install on the 48 foot Ascender airship expected to fly late next year. We expect to fly three high altitude tests before they go on an airship.

High altitude airship valve testing. Before a part goes on one of our airships, we haul up to the edge of space and put it through it’s paces. The first is the old generation helium valve, the second, the new. The new goes up for testing again on Away 130.

You totally want a PongSat Mission Patch! (Jedi mind trick marketing). PongSats student payloads are always flown for free. To pay for it we sell patches, tee shirts, books, PDF’s anything to keep us flying. Check out this awesome space patch at our store:

https://dark-sky-market.myshopify.com/collections/frontpage/products/pongsat-mission-patch