Melitopol - stratosphere - Tikhonovka
It all started with the fact that our comrade Yura turned 26 years old. Normal people in such a situation would have presented some pendant with a bow, ate a cake and would say goodbye to that. We decided to launch a man-made stratostatus in the sky in honor of the solemn date. And so that he did not hang out in vain in the sky, they hooked two cameras to him.
Expedition members:
')
Special mention deserves the participant named Gregory - flies, sent to the stratosphere in a matchbox.
So, for the construction and launch of the stratostat we purchased:
- 2 cylinders of 10 liters each with helium (delivery, rent) - 900 UAH ($ 113);
- 2 latex spheres with a diameter of 1.8 m - 500 UAH ($ 63);
- Video recorder used Prestigio RoadRunner 300 - 400 UAH ($ 50);
- GPS tracker TK-102B - 450 UAH ($ 56);
- a nameless Chinese tracker for secure - 200 UAH ($ 25);
- reflective paint - 35 UAH ($ 4);
- rope 100 m - 27 UAH ($ 3).
Total: 2512 UAH (314 $) .
Everything except the rope and paint was ordered on the Internet.
In addition to the above, we already had:
- Nikon Coolpix S700;
- Styrofoam;
- a laptop and phones to track the stratospat by GPS;
- 2 vehicles for transporting bodies and equipment.
Find a cheap camera with interval shooting in the stores failed. Fortunately, such was revealed from a member of the expedition Lehi and was withdrawn free of charge.
After the purchase, we decided that one ball and, accordingly, one balloon would suffice for launch.
On a foggy morning, we gathered in the office, where we made a case of foam plastic out of the foam plastic case and adjusted the GPS trackers with a grief in half.
Congratulating the birthday and having tasted a festive cake, the expedition went to the eastern outskirts of the city near the exit to Konstantinovka. In the weather forecast, the east wind was indicated, and it was calculated that the balloon would fly over the city to the west (and as a result it flew to the northeast). Although the day was very wet and cloudy, we did not postpone the long-awaited event.
Seva paints the body with reflective paint.
The paint turned out to be so vigorous that in some places the polystyrene had a great tear.
Inflate the ball with a bottle from under a plastic bottle. This process was accompanied by an indescribable hellish hiss. We stocked up with two cylinders of helium, but it turned out that one was enough.
While we were dealing with the descent vehicle, the balloon carrier attached to the car attracted the attention of local residents. Someone just passed by, twisting the neck of curiosity, and someone was interested in what we are doing. Two citizens even stayed to see how it would end.
We construct a parachute. Special hopes were not pinned on him and he was made more likely on “random”, but, judging by the fact that as a result, the device descended safe and sound, the design still worked.
Check the lifting force of the ball with a DSLR.
The machine is ready to launch.
We glue, wrap.
Fasten the technique to the parachute and the ball. Pay attention to how the fabric is draped over the ball. The calculation is simple: due to the increase in the volume in the rarefied layers of the atmosphere, the rubber breaks, the air immediately picks up the parachute and gently lowers it to the ground.
We become around our product and solemnly release it. Go! Stratostat jerked up like a champagne cork. A huge ball the size of a man's height quickly turned into a small orange dot, and then completely disappeared into the clouds. An interesting sensation arises when you look at a retreating child and realize that from now on his fate is not in your hands.
We are going home to Yura and Nadia, where we are following the movement of the stratosphere on the computer screen. At an altitude of about 5 km, the connection should break.
And indeed, having described the arc over the Red Hill, the signal disappeared. Now it was hoped that by the time of landing, the GPS trackers would be in working condition and in the access zone.
There was no connection for about an hour. And then the stratostatus appeared over the fields to the north-west of Melitopol. The Chinese tracker could be contacted by telephone, and we listened for three minutes as it fell, cutting through the air currents. Finally, there was silence. The device landed not far from Tikhonovka on the border with the Priazov district (didn’t the Azov border guards tried here?)
Stratostat drifted to 15 km.
On horses!
The road ends in a plowed field. Next only on foot.
Go, focusing on the GPS indicators.
But they are looking for astronauts - in the fields and apiaries. Despite the monotony of the landscape, the drama only heats up as it approaches the cherished point on the map. If you have never looked for a fallen stratostat, then you know nothing about this frenzy.
False alarm :)
At first, we walked briskly along the forest plantations, but walking through the plowed land is a real tin. And then the night crept up. Having reached the finish line, we stretched into a line and moved forward along the Ukrainian Chernozem.
Suddenly, Seva, who is leading the way, shouts: “Found!” “Don't touch anything!” - we yell back and gallop to the precious find. Cheers, comrades!
Everything is in place. Apparently, the parachute did not disappoint.
The torn rubber of the ball, which was tight and durable to the touch before the start, landed stretched and thin like a cellophane bag.
We open the case in a calmer place, so as not to lose the components in the dark.
A more peaceful place was the Arabat arrow.
All parts remained in place and retained their functionality. That's just Gregory died tragically in his capsule. Stratosphere does not like jokes.
Unfortunately, neither the camera nor the DVR did not finish until the end, unable to withstand harsh temperatures. The camera turned off, barely hovering above the cloud cover. The registrar lasted a little longer - 14 minutes. It was captured about 1/4 of the total flight time, and the most interesting, alas, remained behind the scenes.
On the received pictures you can see the Milk River, the dacha cooperative, the building of the “New Generation” sect and the exit to Konstantinovka:
Video from the hero of the occasion (preparation, launch, aerial photography, search for the device):
Full video recording from the board of the stratostat (14 minutes of inexpressive shooting):
What's next? On New Year's Eve, we are planning to launch a new product, taking into account the identified bugs. In the next version of the stratostat, the following innovations are planned:
- at least one GoPro camera;
- portable power bank chargers for extending camera operation;
- an elongated rope between the ball and the payload to reduce the video shake.
That's all for now. I look forward to your comments and suggestions.
Expedition members:
')
Special mention deserves the participant named Gregory - flies, sent to the stratosphere in a matchbox.
So, for the construction and launch of the stratostat we purchased:
- 2 cylinders of 10 liters each with helium (delivery, rent) - 900 UAH ($ 113);
- 2 latex spheres with a diameter of 1.8 m - 500 UAH ($ 63);
- Video recorder used Prestigio RoadRunner 300 - 400 UAH ($ 50);
- GPS tracker TK-102B - 450 UAH ($ 56);
- a nameless Chinese tracker for secure - 200 UAH ($ 25);
- reflective paint - 35 UAH ($ 4);
- rope 100 m - 27 UAH ($ 3).
Total: 2512 UAH (314 $) .
Everything except the rope and paint was ordered on the Internet.
In addition to the above, we already had:
- Nikon Coolpix S700;
- Styrofoam;
- a laptop and phones to track the stratospat by GPS;
- 2 vehicles for transporting bodies and equipment.
Find a cheap camera with interval shooting in the stores failed. Fortunately, such was revealed from a member of the expedition Lehi and was withdrawn free of charge.
After the purchase, we decided that one ball and, accordingly, one balloon would suffice for launch.
On a foggy morning, we gathered in the office, where we made a case of foam plastic out of the foam plastic case and adjusted the GPS trackers with a grief in half.
Congratulating the birthday and having tasted a festive cake, the expedition went to the eastern outskirts of the city near the exit to Konstantinovka. In the weather forecast, the east wind was indicated, and it was calculated that the balloon would fly over the city to the west (and as a result it flew to the northeast). Although the day was very wet and cloudy, we did not postpone the long-awaited event.
Seva paints the body with reflective paint.
The paint turned out to be so vigorous that in some places the polystyrene had a great tear.
Inflate the ball with a bottle from under a plastic bottle. This process was accompanied by an indescribable hellish hiss. We stocked up with two cylinders of helium, but it turned out that one was enough.
While we were dealing with the descent vehicle, the balloon carrier attached to the car attracted the attention of local residents. Someone just passed by, twisting the neck of curiosity, and someone was interested in what we are doing. Two citizens even stayed to see how it would end.
We construct a parachute. Special hopes were not pinned on him and he was made more likely on “random”, but, judging by the fact that as a result, the device descended safe and sound, the design still worked.
Check the lifting force of the ball with a DSLR.
The machine is ready to launch.
We glue, wrap.
Fasten the technique to the parachute and the ball. Pay attention to how the fabric is draped over the ball. The calculation is simple: due to the increase in the volume in the rarefied layers of the atmosphere, the rubber breaks, the air immediately picks up the parachute and gently lowers it to the ground.
We become around our product and solemnly release it. Go! Stratostat jerked up like a champagne cork. A huge ball the size of a man's height quickly turned into a small orange dot, and then completely disappeared into the clouds. An interesting sensation arises when you look at a retreating child and realize that from now on his fate is not in your hands.
We are going home to Yura and Nadia, where we are following the movement of the stratosphere on the computer screen. At an altitude of about 5 km, the connection should break.
And indeed, having described the arc over the Red Hill, the signal disappeared. Now it was hoped that by the time of landing, the GPS trackers would be in working condition and in the access zone.
There was no connection for about an hour. And then the stratostatus appeared over the fields to the north-west of Melitopol. The Chinese tracker could be contacted by telephone, and we listened for three minutes as it fell, cutting through the air currents. Finally, there was silence. The device landed not far from Tikhonovka on the border with the Priazov district (didn’t the Azov border guards tried here?)
Stratostat drifted to 15 km.
On horses!
The road ends in a plowed field. Next only on foot.
Go, focusing on the GPS indicators.
But they are looking for astronauts - in the fields and apiaries. Despite the monotony of the landscape, the drama only heats up as it approaches the cherished point on the map. If you have never looked for a fallen stratostat, then you know nothing about this frenzy.
False alarm :)
At first, we walked briskly along the forest plantations, but walking through the plowed land is a real tin. And then the night crept up. Having reached the finish line, we stretched into a line and moved forward along the Ukrainian Chernozem.
Suddenly, Seva, who is leading the way, shouts: “Found!” “Don't touch anything!” - we yell back and gallop to the precious find. Cheers, comrades!
Everything is in place. Apparently, the parachute did not disappoint.
The torn rubber of the ball, which was tight and durable to the touch before the start, landed stretched and thin like a cellophane bag.
We open the case in a calmer place, so as not to lose the components in the dark.
A more peaceful place was the Arabat arrow.
All parts remained in place and retained their functionality. That's just Gregory died tragically in his capsule. Stratosphere does not like jokes.
Unfortunately, neither the camera nor the DVR did not finish until the end, unable to withstand harsh temperatures. The camera turned off, barely hovering above the cloud cover. The registrar lasted a little longer - 14 minutes. It was captured about 1/4 of the total flight time, and the most interesting, alas, remained behind the scenes.
On the received pictures you can see the Milk River, the dacha cooperative, the building of the “New Generation” sect and the exit to Konstantinovka:
Video from the hero of the occasion (preparation, launch, aerial photography, search for the device):
Full video recording from the board of the stratostat (14 minutes of inexpressive shooting):
What's next? On New Year's Eve, we are planning to launch a new product, taking into account the identified bugs. In the next version of the stratostat, the following innovations are planned:
- at least one GoPro camera;
- portable power bank chargers for extending camera operation;
- an elongated rope between the ball and the payload to reduce the video shake.
That's all for now. I look forward to your comments and suggestions.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/202950/
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