Author: Administrator

Yesterday was spent sorting PongSats and breaking down vehicles. We’ve not only sorting them out to their schools and experimenters but logging which vehicle they were on.  We hope to have them all out in the mail by the middle of next week.

Away 47 2 sec. after launch, Away 48 1 second after launch.

Away 48 at release and climbing skyward.

Away 48 PongSats heading out and Away 47 PongSats heading home.

Away 48 made an appearance  in the cameras of Away 49. They were a few miles apart when the faster climbing Away 49 overtook Away 48.  Away 48 shows up about six times in each of Away 49’s five cameras. We can tell it’s Away 48 from top to bottom travel through the course of the images, and the fact the appearance coincides with the altitude of the rendezvous. The balloon is about 54 feet in diameter at this level.

Here’s the launch from Away 47’s point of view.

We took 2870 in flight still pictures and recorded 6 hours of in flight HD video.  We also took lots of video and pics on  on the ground. Here’s a few while I get the pile organized:

All three flights went very well. We made it to 85,000 feet, 101,000 feet and 103,000 feet. All vehicles and PongSats recovered and are safe and sound. Highlights include Away 49 photographing Away 48 at 100,000 feet (about 14 times). It’s just a small balloon in the frame, but very cool.

More details as more sleep is obtained.

JP

The team is about 5 minutes from rolling to the desert. It’s about a six hour trip. We deploy at 4 am tomorrow for three runs to 100,000 feet. First lift off at 7:30am.

We have 785 PongSats on board from approx. 2,300 students.