SSI-44

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SSI-44 (Zeus)
[[
Team Zeus on Launch Day
| 250px]]
Launch date October 22, 2016
Launch site 2093 San Juan Drive, Hollister, CA
Launch coordinates 36.84842,-121.43236
←SSI-43 SSI Balloon Launches SSI-45→


Payload Description

  • One box made of two vertically conjoined boxes
  • Selfie stick with convex mirror out in front of GoPro, balanced with dope-ass Zeus flag
  • Adorned with Kirill's, Aria's, and Brandon's faces, along with SSI stickers, the American flag, and gold and space duct tape
  • Plastic bin on the bottom filled with slips of paper with Kirill's face, name, and number, secured with a string designed to be cut with a Nichrome wire at a designated altitude
  • Keychain camera wrapped in handwarmers and duct tape secured to bottom of payload
  • Parachute release mechanism connected to payload, balloon, and parachute, designed to release both parachute and balloon when the balloon popped
  • Included customary sensors, avionics, and communications

Prep and difficulties

  • SPOT wouldn't connect, couldn't find satellites
  • Then GPS wouldn't connect (blocked by gimbal)
  • Nichrome wire accidently turned on during testing, cutting the string
  • Thermocouple apparently under duct tape :(
  • GoPro set to picture mode, took one picture every second instead of video :/
  • Loop on top of parachute too big, got caught on the release mechanism (fixed with a ziptie)
  • Launched at around noon after securing to the balloon with a very extensive sketch knot (duct taped many times over)

Flight

  • Origin (2093 San Juan Drive, Hollister, CA)
  • Flew __ miles for __ hours approximately north-east
  • Landed north of Modesto, near Yosemite, on a cattle ranch, 2.5 miles off the main road

Recovery

  • Last to pick up
  • Gate was locked (including ominous signs, a tire, and bullet holes), debated trespassing
  • Talked to a neighbor who knew a guy who knew a guy who knew a guy who had the key
  • Talked to the first guy, he directed us to the next one
  • Talked to the second guy, really sketchy, wouldn't come out from behind screen door, directed us to the next one
  • Talked to Pat Aries, owner of a llama and goat farm, he knew the guy with the key, but he was 200 miles away so he gave us permission to trespass
  • Group split, only Theo's and Kirill's cars stayed
  • Recovery team: Kirill, David, Celeste, Paulina, Ella, Marco, Hannah, Ryan, Jesus, Paige, Phillip
  • Sun was setting as we hopped the gate, so we jogged
  • 0.5 miles on a dirt road, came to a pasture and a gate, hopped that
  • 1 mile on a trail in the weeds, it ended, we walked through the weeds
  • Came to a barbed wire fence with cows on the other side
  • Avoided cows by going up and over a hill
  • Found the trail on the other side, followed it 1 mile to the payload

Post recovery

  • Parachute release mechanism successfully deployed both parachute and balloon
  • Key chain camera snapped off, was lost
  • Mirror had been turned upside down, out of view of camera
  • Gopro still had battery, but SD card was full
  • Nichrome wire failed to cut, didn't release papers
  • We carried it back down the path
  • Ran into some cows, ran away from some cows
  • Kirill kicked a toad :(
  • Made it back to the car an hour after recovery
  • Got dinner in Modesto


Balloon Launches
2014-15 SSI-19202122
2015-16 SSI-23(a) • 2425262728293031323334353637383940414243
2016-17 444546474849505152
2017-18
2018-19 8386879091
2019-20 929397
VE