http://jpaerospace.com/blog Our Journey to Space Wed, 06 Aug 2008 05:11:02 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Mesospheric Explorer The Mesospheric Explorer series is designed to investigate the area of the world above 160,000 feet. Here is the prototype on it's first flight about six years ago and another image with the "hood off". The Orbital Ascender http://jpaerospace.com/blog/2008/08/06/once-and-future-pics/ The last system, the laser experiment is just about complete. Today the sensor to array controller interface was built and all the connectors assembled. One more sensor and then on to all the power plugs. It should be all wrapped up tomorrow. All of the other new systems are complete, however ... http://jpaerospace.com/blog/2008/08/05/away-35-progress/ Universe Today wrote a review of Floating to Space. http://www.universetoday.com/2008/07/22/floating-to-space/ http://jpaerospace.com/blog/2008/07/27/floating-to-space-review/ The last of the new radio gear arrived for Away 35. Anytime a new piece of hardware goes into the mix it all needs to be retested. We always conduct the range testing in the same place. We "shoot the beam" down the road by the shop that has a ... http://jpaerospace.com/blog/2008/07/27/radios-and-lasers/ Last Saturday was another day of bits and boards for Away 35. We modified the main controller's power harness. We reprogrammed the extra camera controller to take more high altitude pictures and less on the way up. We also reprogrammed the backup balloon release system to take into account the ... http://jpaerospace.com/blog/2008/07/17/away-35-nearing-completion/ One of our vehicles did a 360 degree roll just after balloon burst. It took this shot while hanging upside down at 106,000 feet. http://jpaerospace.com/blog/2008/07/11/upside-down-on-top-of-the-world/ This is not a JPA photo, but I would like it to be. This is what I want to see out the window. Taken by the Cassini Spacecraft, it shows Alpha Centauri seen from the rings of Saturn. I must go and see that scene with my own eyes. http://jpaerospace.com/blog/2008/07/11/out-the-window/ The underside of one arm of the 175 foot Ascender airship. http://jpaerospace.com/blog/2008/07/08/ascender-pic-from-2004/ It's not "No bucks, No Buck Rogers". It's "No work, No Kirk". http://jpaerospace.com/blog/2008/07/08/remember/ The last week we have were really cranking. Lots of little things that really add up. Here's the list: We're finally getting a handle on the range issue for the telemetry system. We got a clean doubling of the range last Saturday. New insulated housing for the main controller, the sensor controller ... http://jpaerospace.com/blog/2008/07/07/busy-busy/