Mission update: FAILURE.
Well, we tried to launch today, down at Napa, CA. Little windy, but we were not concerned at first. However, as we filled the balloon with 292.2 ft^3 of helium, it started to get dicey, but we pressed on. The GPS worked fine, the camera was rolling, and the balloon was finally filled after 20 minutes of work. We tied it shut, and tied a 5-foot line to the balloon. This was then tied through a steel clip that connected to a line sewn to the parachute, which then supported the payload with a radar reflector beneath that. With this all ready to go, we began letting out line to make sure we had no sudden jerk as it launched.
Then, Murphy, the dark aspect of the
, decided to arrive.
The clip snapped.
The balloon took off like the proverbial bat outta hell, jiggling like a soap bubble as it ascended. It continued to ascend and move northwest in our sight for almost twenty minutes, visible due to the about 9 foot diameter at launch.
Good news, though: We didn't lose the payload, parachute, or any other expensive gear; just the balloon and five feet of nylon cord.