EOSS-348/349 MSU - Intro to Space & Littleton Schools EPIC program - Recap

KCØRPS's picture
Submitted by KCØRPS on Sat, 10/21/2023 - 18:13

Two 3,000 g balloons were launched from Deer Trail on November 4, 2023.  Both flights landing NorthEast of Kit Carson.

The Deer Trail parking lot was full of cars for the two launches. It was estimated over 100 cars and how many would follow us out to recovery?  It turned out 10 student/parent cars went out with each balloon.  Thank you to both schools for bringing coffee, donuts, juice, and snacks.  A big thank you for making Deer Creek School look spiffy after much eating, gluing, taping, weighing, and stringing  of payloads.

EOSS-348 with six MSU payloads were strung outside.  EOSS-349 with twelve Littleton EPIC payloads were strung in the school, then carried out to be added to the flight string.  Weather was in the 30's for both launches which flew beautifully.  

Thankyou to Jeff at the ground station for showing students and parents his responsibilities for a successfull launch and tracking.  I saw several people watching Larry and his team filling the balloons.

The students left the school and stopped in Hugo to wait for further instructions. While there they saw EOSS-349 at 90,000+ ft. It is always exciting to see the balloon at that altitude.  The MSU EOSS-348 had landed while we were in Hugo, the students followed the trackers to the landing and successfully recovered their payloads.  Littleton EPCI were met by another tracker and moved closer to Kit Carson to await final landing coordinates.  The owner allowed two vehicles to recover the payloads.  When the students finally were able to open then ohhs and aughhs over the photos from the GoPros.

  • EOSS-348 burst at a reported maximum altitude of 74,903 ft
  • EOSS-349 was cut down at a reported miximum altitude of 100,897 ft (cutdown was performed to minimize post-burst chaos)

 

Link for EOSS member mileage reimbursement

Recap Gallery: 
Original Announcement: 

EOSS-348/349 is ON for launch 7:30am at the Deer Trail School. Payloads must be onsite by 5:30am for weigh-in and stringing. Conditions are favorable for a two-balloon launch.

  • 10-26-2023Rev B Payload Plans have been posted
  • 10-26-2023Rev C Payload Plans have been posted

This is two 3000g balloon or four 1500g balloons flying payloads built by:

  • Metro State Univeristy's Intro2Space course
  • Littleton Schools EPIC program

If cloud cover does not allow the flight of Heavy balloons, the following balloon configuration will be flown:

The flight prediction can be found at: https://eoss.org/predict  Live tracking the day of the flight can be found here; https://track.eoss.org

Event Date: 
Saturday, November 4, 2023 - 00:00 to 23:45
Flight Coordinator: 
KCØRPS
Launch Site: 
Deer Trail
Flights: 

EOSS-348 Heavy

This 3000g balloon carries payloads for Metro State University Intro2Space program.

Balloon Type: 
Totex 3000g Latex
Parachute: 
12 ft Rocketman with Remote Release Adam
Beacons: 
Beacons
FrequencyCallsignTypeNotes
145.645 MHzKC0D-2Remote Release/DFTOP, Secondary Beacon
145.710 MHzAE0SS-1Remote Release/DFqualification flight
144.340 MHzAE0SS-12APRS/DigiBOTTOM, timeslotted 0:27 & 0:57, EOSSA
Payload Plan: 
PDF icon EOSS-348 Heavy Rev C.pdf

EOSS-349 Heavy

This 3000g balloon carries payloads for Littleton EPIC Aeorspace program

Balloon Type: 
Totex 3000g Latex
Parachute: 
12 ft Rocketman with Remote Release Baker
Beacons: 
Beacons
FrequencyCallsignTypeNotes
145.645 MHzKC0D-1Remote Release/DFTOP, Secondary Beacon
144.340 MHzAE0SS-13APRS/DigiBOTTOM, timeslotted 0:10 & 0:40, EOSSX
Payload Plan: 
PDF icon EOSS-349 Heavy Rev C.pdf
FrequencyList: 

EOSS Preflight Net @ 7 PM Mountain Time preceding night:
        •  449.225 MHz (-5 MHz Offset, 141.3 Hz CTCSS) Rocky Mountain Ham Radio (RMHAM) Repeater and EchoLink *CANONCTY* conference and the Fun Machine linked system
        • 146.940 MHz (-600 KHz Offset, 103.5 Hz CTCSS) Rocky Mountain Radio League (RMRL) Repeater if the RMHAM machine is down
        • 146.640 MHz (-600 KHz Offset, 100.0 Hz CTCSS) Denver Radio League (DRL) Repeater will serve as a backup to the backup repeater 

Launch Site:
        • 446.050 MHz Simplex  
        (Note that some radios assume these are repeater frequencies and attempt to put a 5 MHz offset in the transmit frequency automatically)

Track & Recovery Operations:
        Repeaters:
        • 449.450 MHz (-5 MHz Offset, 103.5 Hz Tone) RMRL repeater (Assuming we are flying out of Windsor).
        • 448.450 MHz (-5 MHz Offset, 100.0 Hz Tone) PPFMA repeater (Assuming we are flying out of Deer Trail).

        Simplex Frequencies:
        • 446.100 MHz Balloon #1 Field Simplex 
        • 446.150 MHz Balloon #2 Field Simplex
        • 446.200 MHz Balloon #3 Field Simplex
        • 446.275 MHz Car to Car drive out Simplex
        (Note that some radios assume these are repeater frequencies and attempt to put a 5 MHz offset in the transmit frequency automatically)

        Legacy 2M Simplex Frequency (not generally used due to desense/interference issues with the 2M APRS packets)
        • 146.550 MHz Simplex

2M Direction Finding Frequencies:

  • 144.340
  • 144.360
  • 144.905
  • 145.535
  • 145.645
  • 145.710
  • 145.765

 Digital Mobile Radio (DMR):

The decision as to which talkgroup use will be made by the EOSS RF Coordinator on a per flight basis.

  • Rocky Mountain Wide Network – Talk Group 700 - Rocky Mountain Ham Radio has approval to the use "Wide" for flight operations.
  • Central Colorado Regional Network – Talk Group 720 - On occasion, EOSS may use the Central Colorado Regional Network (Talk Group 720).
Tactical Calls: 
TacticalCall SignNameNotes
AlphaWAØGEHMarty, Dave Barrett
BravoW9CN, NØJPSMike, John
CharlieKBØYRZChris
DeltaKØSCCStephen
EchoNØRPF, KØBRARob, Doug
FoxtrotKCØRPS, WØNFWJim, GeorgeJim, FC
Ground StationN2XGL, KBØTVJJeff, Russ, RandyRandy Remote
YankeeKEØYALBrad
HotelKEØUWCGlenn, Ann
IndiaKFØNLQAnn
JulietN6BAJeff
TexasKC0LJohn Remote
GolfN0NDMLarryLaunch Team
KiloNØNKKNancy
TR Breakfast: 
Tracker Breakfast at Flying J truck stop in Limon, 6:30 am (Optional)