[LeArc] Fwd: Adler balloon launch this Saturday

[Mark A Garrett]

Hi all, 

We are planning to launch a high altitude weather balloon this Saturday morning, October 4, at a projected release time of 10am. If you would like to join us for this mission, you can either drive yourself or ride along in a 12 passenger van we are renting. The van will leave from the Adler Planetarium at 7:30am with a planned arrival in Kankakee at 9am. We would probably recover the payload around 12:30 - 3pm, and return to Chicago around 4:30-5:30pm. If the recovery proceeds smoothly, we generally like to get lunch at a local restaurant (otherwise, there are fast food options along the return route). 

In this mission, we will attempt to break the 100,000 foot altitude barrier. We will use a larger balloon than usual (3000 gram versus 1500 or 1200 gram), with a minimal payload (cameras, APRS transmitter, and backup CW beacon) to lighten the load. 

The weather forecast for Saturday morning is very good, with mostly clear skies, very little chance of precipitation, and low surface wind speeds. The projected ground track takes the balloon and payload about 50-60 miles southeast into Indiana, landing near Monon, IN. 

If you can't make the launch, you can still follow along using APRS web services such as aprs.fi. Follow callsign WB9SKY-11 to track our payload. 

Mission information: 

Launch site: 
Koerner Aviation 
1520 S State Route 115 
Kankakee, IL 60901-7792 
(Note that Google Maps shows an incorrect location for this address -- about a mile east along 115 from the airport. The airport is on the west side of Rte 115 on the north-south section of the road. Mapquest and Yahoo Maps show the correct location.) 

APRS transmitter: 
144.390 MHz, callsign WB9SKY-11 

CW beacon: 
146.565 MHz 

I hope some of you can join us! Please let me know if you plan to attend, and whether you would like a ride in the van or you will drive yourself. 

Best regards, 
-- Mark 

Mark Hammergren, PhD 
Astronomer & Director, AstroScience Workshop 
Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum 
1300 S. Lake Shore Drive 
Chicago IL 60605 
312-322-0319 





Visit the Adler Planetarium Website 
http://www.adlerplanetarium.org