DREAMS18A

=DREAMS-18A Project Page=

Mission Aborted. Balloon Failure on the Ground.
Data was collected on the ground to help prepare for what will be the actual D-18 flight on July 25th, 2013.

A single keyring was used to hold the balloon to the fill mechanism. At the free lift check with 22 pounds, the ring failed and the balloon started to rise and jerked so hard when the fill hose was pulled out that the balloon nozzle was ripped out. The balloon rose losing hydrogen and harmlessly fell about 100 yards away. The payload was in full working order and never connected to the balloon. The same hardware will get another chance to fly for the actual DREAMS-18 flight on Palmdale, California on July 25th, 2013 as part of the Space Frontier Foundation Teachers in Space workshop.



The image below shows the ripped out nozzle with the destroyed ring and a what will replace it in the future to correct this kind of failure. A new smaller nozzle will be tried as well.

The balloon nozzle after it ripped out of the balloon

Setting up for the attempted launch

Attempted Launch Date: June 29, 2013
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Launch Location: Dooly County High School, 715 North 3rd Street, Vienna, GA 31092 GPS: 32.103,-83.80 Launch Site Arrival Time. 7:30AM

Status Update -- Friday, June 28 DREAMS-18 is tentatively GO for launch on Saturday June 29 from Dooly County High School

Critical issue is surface weather. All systems are GO for launch including Science systems. Surface weather shows 60% chance of thunderstorms, 8 mph winds, with 65% cloud coverage. These are all on the extreme end for a balloon launch, but it will work if lightning is no closer than 20 miles and no significant rain is coming down on us as shown on radar. There is a chance launch could still be scrubbed.

Weather/Track Predictions
Payload: HASP Experiment from Atlanta, GA D-17 Repeat Experiments with Corrections

Participants:
 * L. Richardson (KI4AOJ) || Hallie Richardson ||
 * Garry Harris || Dr. Randal Mandock ||
 * Sammy Smith (KK4QKB) || Keith Warren (AK4KO) ||
 * Glenn Rutland || Sean Earhart (K4SAE) ||
 * Michael Leggett || Veronica Leggett (KK4OQE) ||
 * Paul King (K4ETY) || Bill Watt (K4BLL) ||
 * David Rush (KY7DR) || Taylor Klotz (K4OTZ) ||
 * Jinny Van Doorn || Frank Braski ||
 * Mary Braski || Drake Braski ||
 * Tentative: ||  ||
 * Ronny Julian (K4RJJ) ||  ||