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--- projects:picoatlas:picoatlasv [2011/08/29 09:34] – jcoxon
+++ projects:picoatlas:picoatlasv [2012/05/14 07:14] (current) – jcoxon
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 ====== PicoAtlas V ======
-  * Spot + Cell holder = 80.7g
+  * Balloons x 4
-  * 2xAA Lithiums = 29.5g
+  * Payload mass 104g
-  * GPS + antenna = 9.2g
+  * Mass each balloon 32g
-  * Radiometrix NTX2 = 7.3g
+  * Additional mass 15.5g
-  * Atlas Board = 10.1g
+  * Ascent rate aim 0.5m/s
+===== Flight =====
+Unfortunately the flight didn't go as planned with an early descent after only reaching 1.5km altitude. On recovery at the edge of a field one balloon showed signs of a burst tear while 2 others showed puncture holes from the spiky bush it had been blown onto and the final balloon was inflated still. The payload was still intact though showed signs of being dragged across a field! We are unsure why one balloon burst so early on - our calculations suggest that it wasn't even at pressure yet at this altitude - will continue to look into this.
+Generally the conditions weren't great for launch - fill was easy as we were inside a barn for that but gusts of wind made the actually launch very challenging and some damage might have been sustained during this (though the balloons once launched looked fine).
+===== Lessons =====
+  * wait for good weather!