"Pics or it didn't happen." This article will make sure that this is one phrase you'll be ready to address before (and after) your next near-space balloon launch.
Learn all about different camera options in this week's blog post.
Perhaps you recognize this post's cover photo from a recent Late Show with Stephen Colbert skit: Astronaut Ice Cream is a Lie. Indeed, that skit used Launch with Us planning and flight hardware to plan for, execute, and retrieve the space ice cream payload. To make sure that we reached our objective altitude, we had to ensure that we chose the proper launch configuration. How did we do it? More about predicting altitude is below, while more details on the story of the Colbert launch itself will be coming in the next blog posts!
While your High Altitude Balloon (HAB) payload may not be as critical as an Apollo mission returning from space, it still requires careful thought and planning. It is important that you balance the trade-offs such as a safe impact speed (slower descent) with a longer descent time and travel distance (faster descent is more desirable).
Learn how in this blog post.
Although High Altitude Balloon (HAB) launches can be fun and educational, care must be taken to abide by the governing laws and regulations to ensure the safety of pilots and those that may be impacted by the launch and landing. This blog post will cover the applicable laws and regulations that apply to High Altitude Weather Balloon launches.
The key to any successful HAB launch? Successful planning! Because of the huge number of variables in any given launch, many amateur (and veteran) launches do not go perfectly according to plan. However, with the proper planning, you can reduce the uncertainty and increase the probability of a successful launch.
Our preparation and launch checklists are free to download.