The Icarus Project

The Icarus Project

High Altitude Ballooning

Icarus II Launch 2

Objective
To see if the payload is capable of receiving data from the ground and if so how clearly?

Technical Data

Launch Date 12 April 2009 08:55:29 (09.55.29 BST)
Launch Latitude 52.252828
Launch Longitude -0.09185
Landing Date 12 April 2009
Landing Time ~10:50:00
Landing Latitude Unknown
Landing Longitude Unknown
Flight Duration ~1:55:00
Max Altitude
Average Descent Rate Unknown
Max Descent Rate
Impact Speed Unknown
Payload Mass
Balloon Mass 1.5kg
Total Mass

Pictures

[flickr-gallery mode="photoset" photoset="72157616505094071"]

Description

Testing of bug fixes in the on board telemetry code and uplink on 169MHz  Unusual early bust at 24K. Perhaps too much handling on the ground or over inflation.

Payload lost at approximately 6km from the ground when there appears to have been a total power failure. This was preceeded by several resets of the system before radio scilence. Payload is currently lost and I’m waiting patiently for a phone call.

Lessons learnt and improvement in the future

It was interesting to note that with the camera on board and operating every few minutes the internal temperature of the payload remained above 0 degrees C. A secondary backup transmitter would probably have saved the day. In all likelyhood  antannae twisting probably caused the power cable to snap.

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