Launch

6. Launch

6.1. Launch Supplies Checklist

6.1.1. Personal Supplies Checklist

• Logbook!
• Snacks
• Water/soda
• Camera/video camera
• Warm clothes i.e. gloves, hat, sweatshirt or jacket etc…
• Cash in case we stop for lunch
• Hiking boots and change of shoes/socks if muddy
• Book for reading in the car (optional)
• Binoculars (optional)
• Calculator for on the fly calculations, (optional)
• Walkie Talkie (optional)
• Flashlight (optional)
• GPS (optional)
• Topo maps (optional)

6.1.2. Structures Supplies Checklist

6.1.3. Communications Supplies Checklist

6.1.4. Science/Engineering Supplies Checklist

6.2. Balloon Inflation

6.2.1. Balloon Inflation Instructions

There is no major preparations to be done to set up the balloon that requires you days to work on. One just has to check the launch box a day before the launch. The launch box has all the equipments required to set up the balloon. Some major check lists for the balloon setup with their function.

• Balloon - To take the capsule up in the sky.
• Helium cylinders – These have helium gas in it.
• Nossle – A short tube used to fill helium in the balloon.
• Duct tape – when the nossle is put in the balloon, duct tape is used to keep the balloon tightly fitted on the nosle.
• A ring – it is used to attach the capsule and parachute to the balloon.
• Gloves – It is only used so that there is not skin contact on the balloon as skin contact can hamper the life of the balloon.
• Fish scale – to measure the upward pull of the balloon.
• Mats – It is spread on the ground and the balloon is kept on it so the balloon doesn’t come in contact with the ground.

The launch also has some batteries and a parachute.

On reaching the launch site, we unload the helium cylinders from the cars and set them up very close to the launch position. Then we get the launch boxes out. Steps involved in setting up the balloon.

1. Spread the mat on the ground, to ensure that the balloon does not come in contact with the ground.
2. Then unload the launch box and set the things mentioned above on the mat.
3. Then attach one end of the nosle to the helium outlet and insert the other end in the balloon.
4. Wrap the duct tape around the mouth of the balloon and the nosle so that it doesn’t leak any gases out and also that the nosle doesn’t come out of the balloon due to pressure.
5. While filling helium in the balloon, we have to regularly check the upward pull on the balloon using the fish scale.
6. Stop filling the gas when the fish scale read around 19 – 20 lbs.
7. Then unwrap the duct tape and take the mouth of the balloon around the ring and duct tape the mouth so no gas flows out.
8. Then attach the capsule and parachute to the ring and the balloon is ready to go up in the sky.

6.3. Tracking and Recovery

6.3.1. Tracking and Recovery Plan

6.4. Trajectory Predictions

6.4.1. Trajectory Predictions

6.5. Contract Information

6.5.1. UI RISE Contact Information

6.5.2. FAA Contact Information

6.5.2.1 Regional Contact Information

Phone: [phone]
Accident/Incident Response: [phone]
Address: Federal Aviation Administration
Northwest Mountain Region
1601 Lind Avenue Southwest
Renton, WA 98057

6.5.2.2 Local Contact Information

Phone: [phone] or [phone]
Address: 6133 E. Rutter Avenue
Spokane, WA 99212

6.5.3. Sheriff Contact Information

Idaho county map	Phone	Fax
Kootenai	208 644 1511	208 446 1307
Nezperce	208 799 3131	208 799 3144
Idaho	208 983 1100	208 983 1359
Benewah	208 245 2555	208 245 4898
Lewis	208 937 2447	208 937 9235
Clearwater	208 476 4521	208 476 7835
Shoshone	208 556 1114	208 753 8851
Latah	208 882 2216	208 883 2281

Washington county map	Phone	Fax
Asotin	509 243 4165	509 751 5946
Whitman	509 332 6561	509 397 2099
Spokane	509 477 2240	509 477 5641

6.6 FAA Rules and Regulations

6.6.1 Pre-launch Requirements

To file NOTAM:

1. Call - 1 [phone] - Seattle flight service NOTAM office – Call first to file NOTAM
   • Alternate numbers if problems arise:
     • 1 [phone] Spokane flight standards–ask for Judy Black for questions about FARs or e-mail: vog.aaf|kcalb.yduj#vog.aaf|kcalb.yduj (she’s nice)
     • 1 [phone] - Seattle FAA main line
     • 1-800-253-3458 (Boise and Pocatello) ?
     • 1-208-332-0200 – Boise main line (Administration) ?
2. Be prepared to discuss the following information:

Organization:_____________

Primary and secondary field contact cell phone numbers:____

Balloon Identification:______________

Estimated Date/Time of Launch:_____________

Location of Launch (town name and Lat/Long in deg:min:sec format):_______

Cruising Altitude:______________

Forecast Trajectory:____________

Estimated Time to Cruising Altitude:__________

Length/Diameter of Balloon:_____________

Length of Suspension Device:_____________

Weight of Payload:______________

Length of Trailing Antenna:______________

Duration of Flight:______________

Estimated Time of Impact:___________

Estimated Location of Impact (town name and Lat/Long in deg:min:sec format):______

6.6.2 During launch Requirements

1. While filling a NOTAM, ask what their preference is for being updated durring the day of the launch
2. Call - 1 [phone] - Seattle flight service NOTAM office – Call first to file NOTAM durring the launch if requested. Be ready with the following information:

Balloon Position (Lat/Long in deg:min:sec format):___________

One hour prior to descent

Current Balloon Position:___________

Current Altitude:______________

Expected Trajectory:_______________

Expected Time and Location of impact (Lat/Long in deg:min:sec format):______

Note: Should the balloon fall out of tracking for a period of time greater than two hours, contact the nearest FAA ATC office with information on the last known position.

Note: Contact the FAA ATC office when the payload has landed.