What's This PBS?

    I've been making slow and steady progress on the balloon's firmware. Since the microcontrollers on my PCB are throwing a tantrum and not letting me program them in-system I've been using an STK600 and an ATMega64 to do my development. The real balloon will be using an ATMega128, so the Mega64 I'm using for development should keep me well under the memory size for the real balloon. I currently have the diagnostic and startup functions coded. When the balloon starts up both microcontrollers will boot to a configuration menu. The menu will allow the operator to use a laptop and a terminal program to exercise each of the balloon's functions. There's an option in the menu to start the flight program and data logging functions for the real flight. All that's left is to write the data logging, flight routines (things like cutting off the balloon after it bursts and deploying the parachute at the right altitude), and assembling the hardware components together.
    To keep me inspired I've been watching some scientific and creative TV shows from Netflix. I've just found a fantastic show that aired on PBS in 2002. The show is called Rough Science. It's a mix of Mythbuster's type challenges and MacGuyver type science. It has really inspired me and shown how fun science can be. The first season the team used basic chemistry, botany, physics, and very simple tools to collect gold and smelt it into jewelry! The second season, which I'm currently watching, is all about space as simulated in Death Valley. If you want to recapture the excitement of high school science experiments without all the work and weird teacher guys, you need to watch this show!
    Hopefully next time I'll post up some code...that is if I have more to show you than some terminal output. See you next time space cowboys! *cue banjo music and gun shots*

Launch and Landing

    While I've been working on the hardware and firmware for the balloon I've also been thinking about where to launch from and where it might land. I've been using the Near Space Flight Tracking Utility from Near Space Ventures, Inc. While the Google map plotting doesn't seem to work, the XML file is well formatted with altitudes and lat/long. I've entered in data assuming a 3 pound capsule, a kaymont 1500 gram cold weather balloon, and the secret design item I've been alluding to... When the balloon reaches burst altitude I've added in the hardware capability to separate the balloon scraps from the capsule. I've also added in hardware to release a parachute at a specified altitude. Finally, Arhan will be programming two servos that control steering fins on the end of the capsule, which will be rocket shaped. All of this added together amounts to something close to a GPS guided bomb, without the explosives of course. The capsule will separate from the balloon after burst, attempt to steer itself back to its launch location, and at a safe altitude it will deploy the parachute. All of that should reduce the effects of wind drift during landing.
    I'm living in the D.C. area now, and everywhere I look is city or dense trees. I haven't been in the area all that long either and I'm not certain about good launch sites, so I decided to go with what I know. I've picked a few launch sites near Billings, MT where I know there are few people, few trees, and predictable weather patterns. The maps below show the predictions from Near Space Ventures that I've taken over the past couple months. You can see that I have several options depending on which way the wind decides to blow on launch day. Along with the launch I plan on taking my summer vacation in Yellowstone National Park this year! If everything goes well with the hardware and firmware I'm planning on an early July launch.