Another exit to the stratosphere

    Good day, dear habrozhitel!

    Due to our astronomical specialization, we like to combine commercial activities with public projects related to astronomy in particular and space in general. An example of this is our next project , which we took up with our partners from Shumgam : launching a probe with a video camera into the stratosphere. Yes, this is a good old launch of the weather balloon, but with the difference that it will be accompanied by a direct video broadcast to Earth, and everyone can participate in the project, and with a few more interesting (we hope) features. Details under the cut.



    Background

     
    Chatting with employees of the Pulkovo Observatory, we learned that in the 60s many discoveries were made as a result of the launch of amateur weather balloons. Over time, technology developed more intensively, the business completely passed into state hands, then one by one, and interest in private launches began to decline.

    At the same time, amateurs in the Western world continued to develop their passion. Basic technical skills, ingenuity and a minimum of equipment allowed schoolchildren, students, fathers and sons to launch probes not only with meteorological sensors, but also with photo or video equipment. The absence of bureaucratic barriers made such launches even more frequent. As a result, surprisingly beautiful amateur imagery of the Earth appeared from a height of 20-30 km (the stratosphere). There were an incredibly large number of such launches, especially considering the growing cheapness of “soap dishes” in the zero. They wrote about this on Habré (for example,  onetwo ). Including commercial launches (for example, Samsung) Lego went even further by making its launch in 2008 an international project, bringing together enthusiasts from 5 countries. These are just a few examples, listing everything would be almost impossible.
     
    A few years ago, interest in probes resumed in Russia, especially in 2011, in the anniversary year for space exploration. Residents of Habr also made attempts ( one of the last ). Before that, I remember, there were a few more . Probably the most famous example of private launches is the April launch of the Garnelis family. Just a work of art . In the same month, our current Shumgam partners in St. Petersburg launched their probe from the roof of the planetarium. They prepared for six months, but it turned out successfully and very beautifully. 



    What is the peculiarity of our launch


    Since history already knows so many examples of launching a probe, it would seem, why launch another one, and even talk loudly about it. When we embarked on this project, we thought about this, and diversified it.
     
    Live Stream

    As far as we know, this will be the first amateur attempt to conduct a live broadcast of such shootings. Usually the video is extracted later when the probe itself is found (if one is found). But we want to equip our unit with a system of a radio and a radio transmitter, which will allow you to transmit a video signal to an altitude of 2-5 km, and if you are lucky, then higher. Even with minimal efficiency, you will be able to see the whole of Moscow, and not only live. Just in case, we have a plan “B” - signal transmission via WiFi. A detailed description of the work of both models, we are happy to devote a separate article.

    Scientific component

    We plan to use weather sensors for measuring temperature and barometric pressure and a Geiger counter. That is, our probe should be a weather balloon in the classical sense.

    Different angles

    Usually only one camcorder is used. However, for a better video, several angles are needed. Therefore, we are sending not one, but 2 cameras to the flight (maybe, in the end, more will come out).
     
    Collective approach
     
    Despite the fact that our team has experience in assembling and launching probes, we decided that it was necessary to attract as many people as possible to this process, and therefore launched a  competition for the best idea in terms of design and / or design. Regardless of experience or technical knowledge, anyone can make their investment in the project and call it subsequently their own.
     
    Mass astronomical event
     
    One of our popular events is  Open Astronomy Day  (sidewalks, open astronomical observations). Usually, observations occur in the evening, but on the occasion of the launch, we will conduct them in the afternoon, sending telescopes to the Sun, with special equipment and - again - broadcasting to the screen. According to tradition, the observations will be accompanied by a couple of lectures on the topic (one of them is the story of Selenokhod ).

    Collective probe searches

    When the ball begins its return to Earth, we will organize an expedition to search for it. The winner of the race, who delivered the probe safe and sound, receives a telescope with auto-guidance.
     
    Official status
     
    Typically, probe launches are performed without permission. It is believed that if not caught, then it is possible. We decided not to do this, we turned to the Air Traffic Management, and ... in general, it is a very difficult, or rather, a long, way to government institutions, but we intend to go it all the way (we can, if the readers so wish, highlight a separate article for this topic).

    Design, summary


    The basic design is standard and is based on the Shumgam-1 probe.

    Components:
    • box (20 cm x 20 cm x 20 cm);
    • 2 HD Hero GoPro camcorders;
    • GSM GPS tracker and GlobalSat tracker;
    • radio and radio transmitter;
    • self-opening parachute;
    • balloon (filled with helium, volume - 2.5 m).

    Weight: 1.5 kg.
    Estimated flight time: 2 hours;
    Approximate flight altitude: 20-30 km;
    Approximate landing radius: 200 km.

    However, you can make changes, which we will do based on proposals from the Internet audience.

    The principle of operation is simple. A ball filled with helium raises the box with the equipment in height, flying along a curve of 20-30 km. Reaching a critical point, the ball bursts under pressure. At this point, the parachute opens and the structure lowers to the ground. During the flight, the camera continues to shoot. A built-in GPS tracker allows you to determine where the device has landed.

    Conclusion


    We hope everything goes well. We have 2 more months to plan and organize the event. We look forward to comments, advice, questions and criticism from the Habr community.

    UPD: all proposals for the technical implementation of the design, regardless of complexity or ease of implementation, are welcomed as official participants in the competition .

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