Bobble head Ray gets launched in to nearspace!

19th July 2013

Today FM's Ray D'Arcy show asked us to launch bobble head Ray into nearspace!

On a perfect July morning, without a cloud in the sky and with no wind, we launched "Space Ray"

From Cookstown, Co. Tyrone.

Exceeding the target altitude of 101,000 feet, "Ray" made it all the way to 103,400 feet before landing just a few miles from the predicted landing site in Co. Donegal.

Here are some photos and video links 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2LLIaakemA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSyBUJMRJ5k

Look out for the next launch in a few weeks - weather permitting ! 

Today FM Ray d'Arcy show balloon launch

Space Ray on target to launch on 19th July !

Launch location - Omagh, Co. Tyrone

Predicted maximum altitude - 101,700 feet

Predicted flight time to burst - 118 minutes

Predicted landing site - Convoy, Co. Donegal

Total flight time to touchdown - 2h 34m

Preparation is everything 

First balloon launch of 2013

They say preparaton is everything !

After a perfect flight, launching in Glenties Co. Donegal, the capsule passed Donegal Bay and flew over the Eniskillen Lake District, destination of the recent G8 before finally coming down on the Lietrim / Cavan border near the Marble Arch caves.

On retrieving the capsule I found the memory card in the camera was corrupted, due either to a cable being broken during descent of a fault in the card. I am currently running a scan and repair program to see if any images / video can be retrieved. 

The parachute seems to have got tangled during descent which probably caused the camera cable to snap during rapid descent  

Back to the drawing board !