Ian
Administrator
- Joined
- Feb 23, 2002
- Messages
- 19,873
- Reaction score
- 1,499
We're going to have an exciting article in the coming weeks, as PC Review ventures in to space... Sometime in mid/end September (weather permitting), we'll be launching a high altitude balloon with a video & tracking payload which will relay live position and video data to our ground station (a laptop and car!) along with recoverable HD video from the flight.
I'm working on this project with a university friend, Dr Jonathan Chippindall. You can read his blog here, where he will discuss the use of STEM projects to encourage youngsters to participate in similar projects and become more involved in science/technology. On PCR, we'll have a project log detailing some of the basic engineering and technology involved in this sort of project. The first launch of the "Manchester Meteor" uses off the shelf components so that we can trial the launch procedure before building more customised payloads.
We're hoping to get some video footage of the balloon ascent (~2 hours) and the slightly faster descent (~30 mins). If all goes to plan, the balloon will reach around 100,000 ft and will send back some fantastic pictures of the curvature of the earth, something similar to this:
I'm working on this project with a university friend, Dr Jonathan Chippindall. You can read his blog here, where he will discuss the use of STEM projects to encourage youngsters to participate in similar projects and become more involved in science/technology. On PCR, we'll have a project log detailing some of the basic engineering and technology involved in this sort of project. The first launch of the "Manchester Meteor" uses off the shelf components so that we can trial the launch procedure before building more customised payloads.
We're hoping to get some video footage of the balloon ascent (~2 hours) and the slightly faster descent (~30 mins). If all goes to plan, the balloon will reach around 100,000 ft and will send back some fantastic pictures of the curvature of the earth, something similar to this:
The payload, parachute, balloon and supplies are all ready, we're just waiting on CAA permission to launch. Keep your eyes peeled!
We'll also be launching mini astronauts in to space, as it's unlikely that we'll be able to make the trip ourselves any time soon:
If you've got any questions or comments, just sign-up and post a reply to this thread (it takes a few seconds and we won't spam you!).
Oh great stuff, this will fire up the imaginations of the children, the future scientists of this country. The Register has a a similar project called Lohan but this is more exciting as this has included children in the project.
.
