Wednesday, April 21, 2010
High altitude balloon launch is Saturday
Engineering students participating in last year's High Altitude Balloon Launch.
Contact for more information:
Wendy Knipe Bredhold Media Relations Specialist, News & Information Services 812/461-5259 Carrying a number of experimental devices and cameras, the helium-filled weather balloon will carry will rise to approximately 95,000 feet, at which point the balloon will burst. The attached pods will then begin a rapid and chaotic descent eventually slowed by a parachute before landing. The team will attempt to photograph Archibald Eagle′s second “moonwalk†using an onboard camera. Dr. Glen Kissel, assistant professor of engineering, said, “We have a miniature Archibald Eagle on the end of a stick, so that when we are in the air, an onboard camera photographs him and, depending on how high we get, it looks like Archibald is taking a space walk.†Two GPS units included among the pods will allow the students to track the balloon/parachute flight system and then recover the pods shortly after they land. Mission Control for the flight will be in Technology Center Room 220 (TC 220), where interested parties are invited to watch the progress of the flight. In preparation for this flight, the team conducted a tethered balloon test on Monday, April 5, on the USI Quad. This is the University′s fourth high altitude balloon flight since 2008. In the case of inclement weather, the balloon launch will be held Saturday, May 1. |
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