Fort Sumner OMS Balloon Campaign
September 2004
Ft.Sumner, New Mexico
The A-Team arrived to Ft. Sumner just after Labor Day, 2004. We quickly got to work. The NASA Balloon Facility was comprised of a lauch pad, take-off and landing strips, and two large hangers. One of the hangers was much newer and can be seen in the photo on the right. The other was very old, smelled of fresh rust!, and lacked the world's best air conditioning! Can you guess which one we were in?
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Inside the Hangar
Photos Courtesy of: Aaron Milam, Kasey Truong, Jess Landeros, Jimmie Lopez
Once inside the Hangar we all dove quickly into work. The area was small and there were lots of bodies. Thank goodness for the air conditioner. (Chris took the prime seating in front of the air conditioner)
Click on a Picture to Enlarge it!
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Jess, working on CIP commands for the Gondola |
Greg takes a programming timeout to pose for the camera |
One of Lance's head shots, he's still writing, you just can't see |
Kasey next to a tire that is almost twice her size! |
Alias II being calibrated with the pressure chamber on |
A look inside the electronics box just before flight. |
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Alias II in the retract position, almost ready to go! |
Aaron gets his picture taken in front of the famous Alias II |
The OMS Gondola just before preliminary weighing in |
Jess makes some last minute checks on the battery straps |
Rear view of Alias II just before being weighed in |
Pre-weigh in, side view of Alias II in flight position |
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A look at Alias II inside the gondola. |
OMS gondola back in the work area for last minute adjustments |
Greg and Lance converse about Alias II workings |
A shot of Kasey hard at work making batteries |
OMS Gondola is almost ready for flight. |
On the other side of Alias II was LACE (seen above) |
Get Ready for the Launch!
Photos Courtesy of: Aaron Milam, Kasey Truong, Jess Landeros, Jimmie Lopez
These are pictures from the morning of the OMS launch. We were forced to scrub on Wednesday, September 16th, due to weather conditions. We launched the next day, Thursday, September 17th.
Click on a Picture to Enlarge it!
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The A-Team doing last minute calibrations before they taxi out |
The A-Team makes sure that there is nothing overlooked |
The OMS gondola being initally hoisted by the crane. |
Gonadola attached to the boom, the A-Team installs the insulation |
At the same time, the NSBF guys are laying out the balloon |
The balloon as it is beginning to get filled with helium |
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Here is the balloon during the filling phase |
Distance shot of balloon, still in filling phase. |
During the filling phase, the gondola is prepped for take off |
Filling phase complete, waiting for release |
Jess stops for a picture as he anxiously waits for take off |
Somehow Kasey is conned to take a miunte for a picture! |
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The A-Team watches as the balloon is about to be let go |
The balloon rising seconds after it is let go |
Balloon now making its way upright |
NSBF making sure the payload is directly below before lift off |
Finally! The balloon is let go and ascends toward space |
A last shot of the balloon as it ascends upward |
Recovery
Photos Courtesy of: Aaron Milam, Kasey Truong, Jess Landeros, Jimmie Lopez
These are pictures from the morning of the OMS launch. We were forced to scrub on Wednesday, September 16th, due to weather conditions. We launched the next day, Thursday, September 17th.
Click on a Picture to Enlarge it!
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This is how the OMS gondola landed, Alias side down! |
Side view of the gondola, Alias II has retracted perfectly. |
Jess and Aaron stop for a picture next to the capsized payload |
Full side view of the OMS gondola, all in tact. |
The balast box used on the OMS payload flight |
Kasey and Aaron take a minute from inspection Alias' condition |
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Completing further Alias II post flight inspection |
Another shot of the gondola from the top and balast box |
The other sider of the OMS gondola, LACE exposed |
As we can see, all four crush pads were essential to landing |
A close up view of the crush pad that hit first |
Jess and an NSBF technitian prepare to hoist the gondola |
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Last minute preparations before the gondola is hoisted |
A view of the truck and boom that will do the lifting |
A shot of the gondola erection process |
Another shot of the gondola being hoisted, almost complete |
Finally!, it's upright again and we can detach the removable parts |
Jess and Jimmie making post flight adjustments |
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A close up of Jess removing the straps around the gondola |
Aaron, in search of the parachute approx 400 yards away |
Trying to free the chute himself; and he says an engineer? |
Jimmie looks through the brush for any missing parts |
Kasey and Jimmie stop for a picture after a hard day's work! |
Finally, the payload is being hauled off back to the base |