VWS Balloon Launch

VWS did a balloon launch from Front Royal Virginia that had us driving back and forth along I-66. Ben/KF4KJQ instigated the project and we even managed to recover the payload.

The balloon carried an APRS transmitter as well as a CW beacon. We were able to track the balloon during its entire flight. The balloon burst at 100,000 feet as expected but the descent rate was nearly twice the expected rate. It turned out the balloon remnants tangled with the chute and kept it from fully opening. Fortunately, everything survived it’s rougher than expected landing.

The people who owned the farm where it landed seemed accustomed to balloons landing in their field. It seems a couple of hot air balloons had landed there in the past. They were very pleasant and accomodating.

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