to infinity and beyond!

Sunday, 5 June 2016

highest wifi hotspot over Ireland!

Hi all!

It's been a while since I launched a high altitude balloon, so for my next launch I want to do something special!

Living in Donegal on the North West coast of Ireland, on the "Wild Atlantic Way" in fact, I want to highlight the beauty of this part of the world and share it with the rest of the Planet.

The balloon capsule I am constructing now, as well as having the usual GoPro cameras and tracking gear, will also feature a long range wifi transmitter connected to a high resolution IP network camera.

The signal will be transmitted back to earth as the balloon transverses the North of Ireland, we will be tracking the signal and re-broadcasting it live on the web so you get to see live images of the Wild Atlantic Way and the coastline of Donegal, Tyrone & Sligo hopefully, plus the moment where the balloon reaches the maximum altitude and the balloon bursts and the capsule parachutes back to Earth!

People with suitable tracking equipment will also be able to look at the video feed directly

Hopefully, depending on weather conditions (and sponsors) we are looking for a launch date sometime in August 2016.

I will post reports on progress as it happens :-)

Above is a photo of our previous flight over South West Donegal

Saturday, 14 March 2015

Mars or Bust....I don't think so!

Mars or Bust ?

( I think i'd miss my freshly ground coffee too much)

So, there you are... hurtling through Space on your way to the Red Planet... your life's ambition is finally coming to fruition...but will it be everything you dreamed of?

You have left Earth, no longer do Earth Laws apply to your group, so you had better hope you all get along together, being couped up a Spaceship for six months while you slowly get radiation poisoning and your muscles atrophy.

When you finally arrive at Mars, assuming you are still alive, you now face the precarious journey down to the surface.

If you actually manage to land in one piece and are still capable of fuctioning after six months without gravity, you now have to set up home on this inhospitable rock, Earth is but a faint Blue dot in the distance, you're never going back there.

What's facing you is spending the rest of your life trying to eek out survival on a Planet not designed to sustain Human life.

With no advanced medical treatment available and limited resources to spend on those that cannot contribute to the group, If you get sick, and make no mistake.... you will! The future will not look bright.

By far the most surprising thing to me is that people are actually falling over themselves to make this trip!!

Even mothers are touting their daughters as future first woman on Mars! - I find this slightly disturbing.

Don't get me wrong.... I am a Space geek! I want to go to Space, If Richard Branson called me up and said "Hey Tony, want to come take a trip on Spaceship 1?" - I'd say yes in a heartbeat.

I don't mind taking a calculated risk, If you want to go to Space it's part & parcel, but, in agreeing to travel to Mars you are not only agreeing to die on that Planet (or on the way) but also most likely in a manor that you had not imagined and most likely not in a good way

Personally I would miss the fresh air too much...and the aroma of freshly ground coffee :)

You better have a Costa Coffee at Spaceport Richard !

Saturday, 14 February 2015

Donegal Bay & Gweebarra in the North West of Ireland taken during 2014

This view of Donegal Bay and Gweebarra taken from 21 miles up during 2014 launches - roll on 2015 season !

Sunday, 23 March 2014

Building a nearspace capsule

Many of you will be building your first nearspace capsules for the Global Space Balloon Challenge so I thought I would me some short videos to hopefully - give you some tips ! :-)
Hope you like !!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XF7VVQMK98

Sunday, 23 February 2014

Global Space Balloon Challenge

April 18 - 21 2014

Come on people ! Get your Space Balloons ready for the global balloon launch !!

No experience necessary! just your imagination (and a balloon)

http://www.balloonchallenge.org/

Tuesday, 13 August 2013

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