The "Ebony" Explorer

LAUNCH #2

2009-05-08T14:28:00.002-05:00

http://ivoryexplorer.blogspot.com/

Update: Launch #2 proceeding at 4:00 CDT from AH parking lot.

http://ivoryexplorer.blogspot.com/

Please use this new URL to track it!

-Chris

Explorer report

2009-05-05T08:42:00.001-05:00

Coord
42.39919 -88.00010 alt 675.8ft vvert 0.0mph speed 0.0mph heading 0.0 temp 54f vbat 4.058 With regards, the Explorer

Post Mortem

2009-05-05T08:40:00.002-05:00

Well, the Explorer was exactly where she said she was, in a cornfield near West Bend, WI. She was gently caught on an old corn stalk.

There was no sign of catastrophic damage or water, but it clearly didn't want to go up anymore.

I remeasured the buoyancy of the balloons at home, they are at 88 grams of lift. This compares to 109 grams originally, and a package weight of 99 grams.

So, it went too high, lost some helium, and came back down.

Explorer report

2009-05-05T06:38:00.001-05:00

Coord
43.38689 -88.13053 alt 813.6ft vvert 0.0mph speed 0.0mph heading 0.0 temp 36f vbat 4.058 With regards, the Explorer

Explorer report

2009-05-05T04:33:00.000-05:00

Coord
43.38678 -88.13041 alt 862.8ft vvert 0.0mph speed 0.0mph heading 0.0 temp 36f vbat 4.058 With regards, the Explorer

Explorer report

2009-05-05T02:29:00.000-05:00

Coord
43.38677 -88.13046 alt 853.0ft vvert 0.0mph speed 0.0mph heading 0.0 temp 36f vbat 4.058 With regards, the Explorer

Explorer report

2009-05-05T00:24:00.001-05:00

Coord
43.38676 -88.13056 alt 846.4ft vvert 0.0mph speed 0.0mph heading 0.0 temp 36f vbat 4.078 With regards, the Explorer

Explorer report

2009-05-04T22:20:00.001-05:00

Coord
43.38646 -88.12960 alt 849.7ft vvert 0.0mph speed 0.0mph heading 0.0 temp 36f vbat 4.078 With regards, the Explorer

2009-05-04T20:14:00.002-05:00

OK, well, Altitude is down, temperature is down, what's going on? I think we lost some helium at the high altitude, but maybe it's just a swirling air mass.

Coord 43.31595 88.10574 alt 7194.8ft hd 0.0 t 18fbat 4.058

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Explorer report

2009-05-04T20:11:00.001-05:00

Coord
43.34885 -88.08766 alt 3159.4ft vvert 0.0mph speed 16.2mph heading 305.1 temp 27f vbat 4.078 With regards, the Explorer

2009-05-04T19:54:00.002-05:00

Coord 42.90253 88.15732 alt 15639.7ft hd 2.1 t 63fbat 4.098

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2009-05-04T19:54:00.001-05:00

Coord 42.84137 88.15782 alt 15944.8ft hd 2.7 t 63fbat 4.098

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2009-05-04T19:53:00.001-05:00

Coord 42.78703 88.16259 alt 15990.8ft hd 4.5 t 72fbat 4.098

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Explorer report

2009-05-04T19:50:00.000-05:00

Coord
43.31595 -88.10574 alt 7194.8ft vvert 0.0mph speed 0.0mph heading 0.0 temp 18f vbat 4.078 With regards, the Explorer

2009-05-04T19:00:00.000-05:00

Explorer report

2009-05-04T17:40:00.000-05:00

Coord
42.90253 -88.15732 alt 15639.7ft vvert 0.0mph speed 11.7mph heading 2.1 temp 63f vbat 4.098 With regards, the Explorer

Explorer report

2009-05-04T17:19:00.000-05:00

Coord
42.84137 -88.15782 alt 15944.8ft vvert 0.0mph speed 11.1mph heading 2.7 temp 63f vbat 4.098 With regards, the Explorer

2009-05-04T17:01:00.000-05:00

Coord 42.72816 88.16911 alt 16053.1ft hd 358.6 t 63fbat 4.098

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Explorer report

2009-05-04T16:57:00.000-05:00

Coord
42.78703 -88.16259 alt 15990.8ft vvert 0.0mph speed 11.1mph heading 4.5 temp 72f vbat 4.098 With regards, the Explorer

Explorer report

2009-05-04T16:36:00.000-05:00

Coord
42.72816 -88.16911 alt 16053.1ft vvert 0.0mph speed 10.6mph heading 358.6 temp 63f vbat 4.119 With regards, the Explorer

2009-05-04T16:23:00.003-05:00

Coord 42.67290 88.16329 alt 15954.7ft hd 351.1 t 72fbat 4.098

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2009-05-04T16:23:00.001-05:00

Coord 42.62424 88.15260 alt 15885.8ft hd 351.8 t 72fbat 4.119

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Explorer report

2009-05-04T16:15:00.000-05:00

Coord
42.67290 -88.16329 alt 15954.7ft vvert 0.0mph speed 10.0mph heading 351.1 temp 72f vbat 4.119 With regards, the Explorer

2009-05-04T15:57:00.001-05:00

Coord 42.37628 88.12288 alt 4842.5ft hd 351.6 t 81fbat 4.119

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Explorer report

2009-05-04T15:54:00.000-05:00

Coord
42.62424 -88.15260 alt 15885.8ft vvert 0.0mph speed 9.5mph heading 351.8 temp 72f vbat 4.119 With regards, the Explorer

Known issues list

2009-05-04T13:54:00.002-05:00

OK, the SMS to the blog did get through eventually. It forgot a "-" in the coordinates though. Ha. So, make sure you're looking long "-88" and not "+88" or you'll see China.

Also, it's failing to send emails but they're stored in the outbox. As soon as we get out of the cornfields, it may send all the emails out at once.

Maybe we should have added that external antenna ;)

Fingers crossed!

2009-05-04T13:46:00.002-05:00

Coord 42.31421 -88.03493 alt 1233.5ft hd 293.6 t 81fbat 4.139

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Explorer report

2009-05-04T13:43:00.000-05:00

Coord
42.37628 -88.12288 alt 4842.5ft vvert 0.0mph speed 12.3mph heading 351.6 temp 81f vbat 4.139 With regards, the Explorer

Explorer report

2009-05-04T13:22:00.000-05:00

Coord
42.31421 -88.03493 alt 1233.5ft vvert 0.0mph speed 19.0mph heading 293.6 temp 81f vbat 4.139 With regards, the Explorer

Explorer report

2009-05-04T13:08:00.000-05:00

Coord
42.30050 -87.99672 alt 702.0ft vvert 0.0mph speed 0.0mph heading 0.0 temp 81f vbat 4.139 With regards, the Explorer

Explorer report

2009-05-04T12:53:00.000-05:00

Coord
42.30046 -87.99668 alt 682.4ft vvert 0.0mph speed 0.0mph heading 0.0 temp 81f vbat 4.139 With regards, the Explorer

Explorer report

2009-05-04T12:39:00.001-05:00

Coord
42.29979 -87.99688 alt 715.2ft vvert 0.0mph speed 12.8mph heading 29.5 temp 90f vbat 4.160 With regards, the Explorer

Welcome!

2009-05-04T09:44:00.003-05:00

Hi everyone,

The Explorer is launching at approximately 1:00 PM today 5/4/2009 from the Libertyville soccer fields. It will be blogging here, telling us about the conditions aloft and taking pictures and video for us to see.

Hopefully it works.

Read the FAQ to the left if you have any other questions.