Coordinated Launch (05/25)

HERA launch sites in MD (PA Team), CA, TX, and SC.

Coordinated Launch May 2025

The first HERA pilot launch took place on May 3rd, 2025, and consisted of 2 balloons. The purpose of this mission was to conduct multicoordinated launch logistics, additional logistical testing for future research, and to teach new people how to launch and retrieve balloons.

HERA Alpha Launch Information Balloon 1

HERA Alpha Launch Information Balloon 2

Preparations

HERA Alpha Payload Information

The tables above show the payload for HERA Alpha. In all, the balloons consisted of parachutes, spot traces, LightAPRS, a CosmicWatch from the University of Delaware, an EduMod mDetect, a stabilized CosmicWatch, a GMC-500, a CosmicWatch and Geiger Counter, and an Insta360 camera, with the total payload mass of each balloon being close to 3700 g and 2650 g, respectively.

Path predictions as well as burst calculations were conducted in advanced in order to prepare for HERA Alpha's retrieval and to give a rough estimate of the neck lift, which was adjusted later. Above is the path prediction for balloon 1 (balloon alpha).

Launch Footage and Information

The two balloons for HERA Alpha were launched at approximately 10:30 EST (14:30 UTC) & 10:45 EST (14:45 UTC), respectively, and each balloon took between 15 and 20 minutes to fill up. Balloon 1 (alpha) had a payload mass of around 3700 g and a neck lift of around 5700 g, while balloon 2 (bravo) had a payload mass of around 2650 g and a neck lift of around 5000 g.

IMG_8020.MOV

Payload Checking (Balloon 1)

IMG_8021.MOV

Launch (Ground POV)

Flight Information

The estimated total flight duration for balloon 1 of HERA Alpha was 2 hours and 40 minutes with an estimated maximum altitude of 93,385.8 feet (28,464 meters). Balloon 2 had an estimated flight duration of 1 hour and 54 minutes with an estimated maximum altitude of 101,604.3 feet (30,969 meters). Balloon 1 landed at approximately 1:10 EST (17:10 UTC) while balloon 2 landed at around 12:39 pm EST (16:39 UTC).

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