This is a project run by GCSE students from Reading School, in Reading, UK. The objective of our first flight (ALIEN-1) is to reach an altitude of approximately 30km (~100,000ft) and take photographs of the Earth/space horizon. We will also include two environmental temperature sensors: one external, one internal. Communication will be by one-way radio downlink, GPS telemetry only.

For day to day happenings, visit our project blog.

• Alexander Breton
• Simrun Basuita
• Daniel Richman

• Kaymont Sounding Balloon (probably 1200g)
  • Random Solutions (£55 for 1200g)
• Parachute and lines
  • From Random Solutions (same as balloon supplier)
  • Polypropylene preferred over nylon
• Radiometrix NTX2-434.075-10
  • Kindly donated by Radiometrix :)
  • Need to make an antenna, should be pretty easy - 1/4 wave ground plane
• Lassen iQ GPS Module
  • Module, antenna and cable donated by Electrobee
• Canon Powershot A80
  • Alex owns
  • Need to hack the shutter button
• 2GB CompactFlash card
• Power
  • Lithium Iron DiSulfide (Li/FeS2)
    • 96 (yes, 96!) have been donated by Energizer!
• Arduino Duemilanove
  • Will use Daniel's
• Ardunio SD Card adaptor/SPI
• GSM
  • Simrun has a Sony Ericsson w800i (aka. w800, w800c)
    • Very similar to the k750i
    • Promising pin layout
    • AT Command reference, Jan 2007
    • Need to hack a DCU-60 cable
      • Interesting spanish guide
    • Baud rate is 9600
• Helium
  • Might be provided by CU Spaceflight.
• Temperature sensors
  • Internal and External
  • DS18S20
    • Got two free 'samples'
• Beacon sounds (recovery aid)
  • Some sort of relatively loud buzzer/beeper
• Payload container - Materials
  • Have obtained a polystyrene box from a supermarket
    • 41cm long, 27cm wide, 15cm high
    • 2cm thick
  • Space blanket

We plan on launching the balloon sometime in May. Launch site will most probably be Cambridge University (with help from the spaceflight club there). However, all decisions are obviously dependent on the weather.