New launch !

Launch Update !

Next launch scheduled for Sunday 11th November ! From Donegal

Lift off ! From Galway Shopping Centre at 3.00pm

The Launch is on !!

Latest Update !

Due to poor weather conditions the launch was cancelled last week

But we are ready to go from Galway Shopping Centre tomorrow !

Launch will be at approximately 14.00 hours BST

Weather permitting !!

Next launch date confirmed ! At the Volvo Ocean Race Finale.
Between 30th June and 8th July! Exact date to be confirmed nearer the time
http://www.volvooceanracegalway.ie/

Okay ! Help needed !
I am launching a series of balloons between the middle of May to end of June ... I need help with tracking and recovery !!!
Launches will take place somewhere around Athlone ... I need people on the East coast to track the balloon on my facebook / twitter accounts and try and retrieve it for me as it comes down...... I will be posting live updates of the flight .... so if it's near you... you have the chance of finding it! http://www.facebook.com/groups/221239324568936/

twitter : @nearspaceman

Just subscribe to my face book or twitter page for updates !

eos5 capsule nearly ready for launch 

maybe on Paddy's Day ? 

Here are some links to previous launches 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytNPKqgPZx0&list=UUCI6lwxqtlnG96HlmN-7LuQ&index=22&feature=plcp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTztLbNy7xQ&list=UUCI6lwxqtlnG96HlmN-7LuQ&index=24&feature=plcp

The new SPOT tracker arrived today and I will be testing it over the next few weeks, as there were issues with the old one... On the first launch, the rubber membrane used under the plastic casing, shrink wrapped around the buttons, switching itself off.
This was due to rapid descent after balloon burst... basically the air could not get back in to the unit fast enough.
For subsequent launches I drilled a hole in the casing to let the air in and out.
But on later launches, it transmitted fine at the start of the flight, but on return there would be a delay of several hours before it started transmitting co ordinates again.
I'm not sure of the reason for this, and the tech support at SPOT were not very helpful!!
However i'm willing to give it another chance!
Maybe the new SPOT2 model will perform better !!
Or maybe hanging around at 120,000 feet at -60C kind of freaks it out !

Inside capsule with two cameras fitted and

alloy lined bay for satellite tracker.

This is to help stop interference from the gps tracker 

which will also be in the capsule

Camera 1 being prepared, battery removed, ready for new 

external battery cable to be fitted

Camera 1, facing downward to Earth, covered in clingfilm while a silicon 

seal is made around it to give a good watertight seal

Starting construction of the new capsule

Also showing one of the on board cameras

There will be 3 cameras in total

Let the hacking begin !

The first of my new Kodak Playsport cameras has arrived so I will be spending tomorrow taking it's battery out and rewiring it for a lithium battery pack to increase recording time. I will also start on the new capsule construction.... will post some photos tomorrow :-)

The ill-fated EOS5 at launch, In Glenties, Co. Donegal - unfortunately it came down in the sea just off Islay, Scotland ! Maybe someone will find it yet!!!

A new year - a new launch schedule!

Spring is in the air ! and I am getting ready for a new schedule of nearspace launches over Ireland!
If you have any suggestions or ideas for launch themes, what kind of photos and videos you would like to see, please let me know !