Another High Altitude Balloon Launch

  Tom and I arrived at Brubaker Field behind Valley View  Junior High early enough to watch many of the preparations for a second balloon launch in a month (see 04/27/21). The launch was set for 10:30 AM and we arrived about 20 minutes early.

 The wind was more from the west today. But when I did my laps earlier I paid attention to the clouds moving generally north. It turns out that by the time the balloon launched it was being pushed slightly north of east.

 You can watch the balloon inflating with helium in this sequence of shots.

 Two professional photographers seemed to be covering the event. I didn't know the man on the right but the lady on the left is Carly Smith, a meteorologist with WDTN in Dayton.

 Carly moved her camera around the field getting various views of the preparations.

 About 10:20 AM a number of classes at VVJH came out of the building to watch the launch.

 The balloon is pretty much at maximum fill at this point. There will have to be plenty of room left for the gas to expand as the balloon rises into the stratosphere. It carries a parachute along with the instrument package to bring everything safely back to the ground.

 Besides the electronic instrumentation carried along, students placed scientific experiments aboard. These include, according to science teacher Jill Weaver "Martian soil simulant, seeds, UV sunscreen experiments, Orbeez [a toy], fortune telling fish [ditto] and more!"

 By 10:40 AM the countdown was made and it was off ...

 The balloon exited towards the east dangling the instrument package and parachute below. Even at great height, the stacked items could be seen moving ever higher.

 Science teacher Jill Weaver is the one we all wish we had.

 Weaver is interviewed by Smith.

 When I got home I quickly looked up the tracking website but no data was being shown. Weaver said (at 11:53 AM), "I am only picking up my SPIT tracker. We are at 47,000 feet near New Carlisle."

Credit: VVJH

Results:

 It is estimated the balloon reached an altitude of 17 to 19 miles and traveled a straight-line distance of 55 miles. It was recovered in Mingo, Ohio (just NE of Urbana).

For video from the balloon click here.

For a GoPro launch video  click here.

For a local TV story click here.

For Unreal Aerial Productions LLC video click here.

For a Wright State University story click here.