The son asks impossible questions, the dad tries to answer.
This led to them sending a video camera carried by helium balloon up to 100,000ft into space.
Both very cool, and some great (video) photographic images from space.
A group of MIT students did something similar a few years ago. They took still pics and used a foam beer cooler.
In the U.S. if your payload weighs less than 4lb, you don't need permission or a license from the FAA. Though it is a good idea to let them know and file a "Notice to Airmen" (at least I think that's what it's called)
A group of MIT students did something similar a few years ago. They took still pics and used a foam beer cooler.
In the U.S. if your payload weighs less than 4lb, you don't need permission or a license from the FAA. Though it is a good idea to let them know and file a "Notice to Airmen" (at least I think that's what it's called)
I'm surprised the FAA didn't come down on them hard so this doesn't become a common incidence. These balloons aren't controllable in flight, they can land anywhere the wind takes them. Does your insurance cover this?
The amazing part is how easily the average Joe can obtain the assets to achieve such a goal. Granted there was probably over a grand worth of equipment on that balloon, but it was all retrieved safely and able to be reused.
The same mission would have cost NASA millions only a decade or so ago.
*Wondering if a couple of large model rocket motors could get it up to escape velocity after the balloon bursts.*
The escape velocity at the Earth's surface is 11.2km/s - That's based on the earth's radius of 6,378km
The balloon went to a height of 19 miles, which is 30km. This gives us a new 'radius' figure of 6,378km + 30km = 6,408km Plugging that into the equation gives an escape velocity of 11.15km/s
So a negligible change.
ETA: It's not exactly rocket science. har har har.
