Kaiserslautern high school Chapter 2020 - 2021
PROJECT HORIZON
Raider III Video.mp4Official Raider III Mission Video
Two NTHS members invited to present their High Altitude Balloon studies at the 2021 European Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS)
Click on the graphics below to view their presentations..
17 January, 2021
Raider III Mission Complete
The Raider III mission is now complete! After a week of anticipation, recovery teams returned to the landing site with a 12-meter telescopic pole and were able to successfully retrieve the remaining two pods from tree branches thirteen meters above the ground.
With the retrieval of the remaining pods, the Project Horizon team can now analyze and interpret experiment data necessary for their Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS) research submissions.
In addition to the scientific data, the team was also very impressed with some of the images returned from the Raspberry Pi Zero cameras. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen technical glitches, the GoPro cameras did not yield some of the pictures the team had hoped for. Fortunately for the team, the Raspberry Pi pictures more than made up for the disappointment.
In the coming weeks, the team will analyze and interpret their findings and update the Project Horizon website. We will soon begin transitioning towards the team’s next challenge – the AFA Europe’s Near Space Challenge (AFAE NSC). The NTHS crew plan to submit two teams to compete for the AFAE NSC Cup.
For the full Raider III Story, please see our Ultimate Picture Book!!
Lauren Gerber_JSHS.mp4Marta Laatsche_JSHS.mp4**For additional pictures, launch and retrieval footage, systems, experiments and more, please view the Raider III mission page.
mORE rAIDER iii nEWS
10 January, 2020
Brenner Family to the Rescue
Raider III turned out to be a big success thanks to the Brenner family's full involvement. Due to stringent Covid-19 restrictions, limited personnel contact was possible. After months of planning and failed attempts to launch due to weather, it seemed that the Raider III mission was about to be delayed once again.
Thanks to the support of both Mr. and Mrs. Brenner, and of course NTHS President Michael Brenner and Flight Engineer Charles Brenner, the mission was able to proceed as planned.
Raider III, was the team's first winter launch. Winter is always a difficult time to launch due to its cold temperatures, poor weather conditions, and high jet stream winds. However, the Project Horizon team from Kaiserslautern High School was fully committed to seeing this mission through regardless of weather conditions, Covid restrictions, or any other obstacle standing in their way.
On January 10 at 1143, Raider III was launched. This was the most comprehensive mission to date consisting of six complex science experiments (including live algae), eight cameras, four tracking systems and a weight of nearly 4 kg (maximum allowable weight for light balloon travel). Six months of planning and preparation was necessary to pack it all in as the three pods offered very limited space for the lengthy list of components.
Although the Raider III mission launch and flight went as planned, recovery of only one pod was possible. The remaining two pods are still resting comfortably at the top of a very tall tree on the edge of the forest. It is estimated that pods #2 and #3 are approximately 12 to 13 meters above the ground. Retrieval of the remaining pods is scheduled for Sunday, 17 January. A 12m telescopic pole will be used.
For the full story of Raider III with all of its drama and excitement, please view our Ultimate Picturebook. Additional information regarding the mission's scientific experiments, systems and media can be found at the Raider III mission page.
Please note that at the writing of this report, full recovery has not occurred. Full access to media and experimental results are expected soon.
13 December, 2020
UPDATE: Due to unfavorable weather conditions, the launch has been delayed to the weekend of January 9/10.
The KHS Project Horizon team is now making final preparations for the upcoming launch on 13 December. Team members have completed all of their scientific research and written their Introductions, as well as Materials and Methods. With just a few weeks to go, they are actively testing their experiments as they become comfortable with all experimental variables.
Raider III will introduce a number of new experiments thanks to our partnership with the Kaiserslautern Elementary School (KES). One of the pods going into space will be dedicated to KES. KES students wanted to know if a particular scale weight would change once it was brought into the upper atmosphere. We took that idea and engineered an experiment to satisfy their curiosity. Additionally, students wanted to know if magic marker ink would exit the marker tip in space. We have designed an experiment to test just that. To extend that understanding, our team elected to conduct a capillary experiment to see the capillary effects of plant life at .15 psi.
Additional experiments included within our triple-pod payload will include:
Algae experiment with on-board colorimeter to measure algae and medium changes
Spectrum Sensor to measure possible redshift/blueshift changes in frequency
Transmitters and receivers to measure the effects of decreased temperature and pressure on sound
Ozone concentration
The Raider III flight will take place in the Kaiserslautern area. The team will once again be able to virtually direct ground crews to the payload location. Stay Tuned!!
Raider ii news
Project Horizon Radier II.mp4raider II Video (official)
The Raider II flight video has been completed. Jerome Hamilton has truly captured the essence of this incredible flight, providing vivid images and video from start to finish.
Follow the journey through the clouds and experience what happens when a violent explosion occurs at 35,596 meters.
Raider II Mission Success. The Project Horizon team completed their second successful high altitude balloon (HAB) launch on 7 June, 2020 in the vineyards of Bad Durkeheim, Germany. Due to the Covid-19 school closures and social distance restrictions, students were unable to physically attend the launch. The KHS Project Horizon team established a virtual Command and Control Center and provided ground crews with tracking information from the comfort of their homes.
The Raider II mission had a number of specific objectives that were met:
Exceed Raider I altitude with a height of 35,596 meters
Obtained new sensory readings for comparative studies using new Geiger counter & ozone sensor
Improved Video (extra cameras and power systems)
Enhanced Tracking (included APRS)
During the Summer Break and into the start of the 2020/2021 school year, the Raider team will continue to analyze and interpret the data that will either validate or invalidate a number of hypotheses established throughout the school year.
AFN "Along for the ride"
AFN Kaiserlautern did a great job documenting our story. Our long time partners AFN joined us to see for themselves just what happens during a high altitude balloon launch.
Sgt Eric Warren rode with the ground crew and was able to experience the excitement of the launch, the stress of a "lost" signal and the relief of a successful recovery.
Raider II Mission.pdfTHe ultimate picture book
We would like to share our experience with you. Please take a look at the Project Horizon (Raider II) "Our Story". You will be able to understand (through narrated pictures) the roller coaster of events that took place during Raider II.
By capturing actual video content of the virtual Command and Control Center, we were able to highlight select actions taking place that allowed our ground crew to actually locate and retrieve the payload.