TV01D

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Great Plains Super Launch 2001

TV01D was the second remote launch for TVNSP and a part of the annual Great Plains Super Launch that saw four near space groups launch capsules on three balloons. TV01D carried three cameras, of which only one returned photographs. The eight photos returned where all from the 35 mm camera shooting IR film.

Launch occured 90 minutes late, at 8:30 AM CDT on 30 June 2001 from the Johnson Near Space Center, in Manhattan, Kansas. Ms Kimbra Cutlip from Weatherwise covered the launch for her magazine. Check out the Nov/dec issue of Weatherwise for the story.

Ralph Wallio is maintaining a web page for GPSL 2001 and it is located at http://users.crosspaths.net/~wallio/group.html

Manifest

bulletMotorola OnCore VP GPS
bulletDigital Camera on Scan Platform
bullet35mm Camera on Scan Platform
bullet35mm Camera with False Color IR Film
bulletGeiger Counter
bulletNear Space Cabin, Calibration Flight

Other Products

bulletFlight Log
bulletSpread Sheet (Quattro Pro)

The Great Plains Super Launch 2001

GPSL 2001 was a great success. Over twenty people attended the launch and helped with launch procedures. The Johnson Near Space Center is a huge metal building that allowed all balloons to be filled and stored inside. There's no doubt the facility can handle more than twice as many balloons. Surface winds were very light, and almost non-existent. This allowed all three balloons to be brought out and launched simultaneously. At the end of the count-down given by your humble narrator, launch crews released the captive near space stacks. Two of the stacks shot skyward at over 1000 feet per minute. The third stack (by TVNSP) made its assault on the skies at a pokey 600 feet per minute.

After launch the chase crews drove south on highway 77, past Herrington. At a historical marker the twelve vehicles and 17 crews made a stop. It's impressive to see so many chase teams on a launch. NSBG and NSTAR where the first balloons to burst. Unfortunately NSBG's capsule stopped sending telemetry during the descent. Fortunately though, it was recovered a few days later and returned to Bill All. About have the chase crews drove after Mark's capsule first, where we recovered it in a cut wheat field. The farmer who owned the field was delighted to find out what was recovered in his field. Several pictures of the recovery crew and the farmer and his family where taken.

At an altitude of 83,073.9 feet the TVNSP 1200 gram gave up the ghost and made it's death plunge earthward. Tragedy would have resulted had the parachute not performed it's designed task.

Recovery was at 37.9368 N, 97.2843 W. This location was also a cut wheat field. This time however, the landowner expressed no interested in the recovered capsule. As is typical with these flights, a flurry of picture taking followed recovery.

Left to Right, Paul, Dan, Paul, Mark, and Sherry

NSTAR and TVNSP chase teams then attempted to help NSBG in its search for their capsule. Instead we met up with them after they concluded the search they wished to perform that afternoon. Instead, in mass, we descended upon the Cracker Barrel restaurant in Junction City for a well deserved early dinner. Good cheer was evident to all as we joked about our experiences.

There will be another Great Plains Super Launch in July 2002 (GPSL 2002). We encourage all near space balloon groups to participate in some fashion. The goal is to launch even more balloons simultaneously. We may even try for a near space symposium at GPSL 2002. Stay tuned.

See page two here

See page three here