Launch

We launched our first high altitude balloon with a payload of a camera and phone with GPS on November 14th, 2009. Based on the winds that day, we decided to drive southwest to have the best chance of the balloon landing in an area with cell phone coverage. We ended up launching from here

When we released, we immediately lost cell phone coverage. Coverage seems to stop up around 2500 feet. I was concerned that something had shaken loose. We watched it fly away. It went much faster than anyone would have guessed. It was out of our site in only about 5 minutes.

Launch Photos

We didn't hear from the phone/GPS in the balloon again until 1hr 40mins later. It had landed over 90 miles away here

We drove out to retrieve the package. We weren't very surprized when we saw it hanging from a tree about 40 feet up.

We came back the next morning with a ladder, tree trimming pole, and 10 feet of PVC pipe duct taped to the end of the pole. Standing on the top rung of the ladder I was just able to reach it.