FLIGHT RECAP OF EOSS-25

LAUNCH DATE: March 17, 1996
LAUNCH TIME : 16:14 UTC (09:14 MST)
LAUNCH SITE: Pikes Peak RC (Radio Controlled) Model Airplane Airport
Located East of Falcon Colorado on US 24 (9 or 10 miles east of Colorado Springs on US 24). 4 miles east of Falcon take Judge Orr road east. Follow this road 4.2 miles to Pikes Peak Radio Control Club Airport. Use the simplex frequency at the launch site for talkin.

LAUNCH COORDINATES:

38deg 57' 17.65" North Latitude
104deg 30' 04.43" West Longitude

LANDING COORDINATES:

Landing Time: 19:17 UTC, 12:17 PM MST (approx)

38deg 31.07' North Latitude
103deg 35.85' West Longitude
Bearing from Launch Site: 122.3 Degrees
Distance from Launch Site: 57.3 Miles

FREQUENCIES:

Launch Site:
- Simplex 146.550 MHz
Telemetry:
- 144.340 MHz FM (1 Watt output) - The Packet telemetry stream is in ax.25 format at 1200 baud and is readable in plain english for the most part. Included in each telemetry frame is an APRS position string (APRS users see note below). Every few minutes a CW ID is transmitted on this frequency. (Download Telemetry File as captured at the ground station)
- AFA Telemetry Stream will be on 147.450MHz. This was be in ax.25 format at 1200 baud.
VHF/UHF Crossband Repeater
- Input 446.000 MHz
- Output 147.555 MHz (inoperative see recap below)
ATV:
- EOSS Shuttle Video - 426.250 MHz AM (1 Watt output) - NTSC video
- AFA Video - 439.250 MHz AM (1 Watt output) - NTSC video
Foxhunters:
- Pikes Peak Fm Association 448.450 MHz repeater
- 146.58 MHz Simplex Field Frequency
HF Net:
- 7.235 MHz no net control set as of this writing

Special Thanks go to the Pikes Peak FM Association. Their membership's continued support of EOSS by granting us permission to use their FANTASTIC 448.450 MHz repeater has significantly contributed to the unsullied record of recovery our Fox Hunters have enjoyed. Thanks folks! We appreciate your sacrifice of the repeater for a day.

Thanks go to the Direction Finding Teams. Some of you drove over 300 Miles on Sunday and we appreciate your efforts and financial support (gas money).

To me for maintaining this page ;-)

Flight Recap

The curvature of the Earth
from 100,000 ft.

The payloads were carried aloft by a 250,000 cu. ft. balloon. This monster was used because of the high weight of the combined payloads. The AFA payload was estimated to be in the neighborhood of 100 LBs. Launch of the balloon went smoothly on Sunday. There were light winds that moderated sufficiently to get this huge vehicle airborne.

The United States Air Force Academy tested a prototype attitude sensing system using multiple GPS receivers. Their system apparently worked well. A great deal of telemetry was collected and will be processed to determine if this system worked as designed.

The RMRL Crossband repeater suffered a catastrophic failure. A short circuit occurred somewhere in the receiver (446.000) that caused a fire on board the payload. The damage was extensive in this module. In fact, it was so great that Bob Ragain believes that we'll never know just where this short occurred as the fire melted much of circuitry. Even with this damage, the transmitter continued to function properly. It's beacon was used as a DF signal by the recovery team.

The tracking and recovery team was successful once again. They spent a LONG day in the field having manned their locations around 7 AM MST and many members returning to their homes in the Denver area at 8 PM.

Soon after the payload landed the teams converged on that location. To their dismay however, it was discovered that the payload was WAY OFF the road. They estimated a 1 mile hike to the touchdown site.

The payloads were strewn about the landing area indicating possibly strong surface winds. The Air Force Payload (bottom of the support string) was found a quarter of a mile north of the rest of the payload packages. It had become detached from the main payload support string. How this happened is currently a mystery. The string is being examined to determine the method of separation.

The balloon landed approximately 2 miles northwest of the rest of the payload. It was recovered as well.

On the return trip several of the fox hunters faced some gas shortages. However, one gas station was found and their return trip proceeded without incident. It can be somewhat desolate the the gasoline challenged in eastern Colorado on a Sunday evening.

A rendezvous at the Rush Cafe (Rush Colorado) brought together the recovery teams and Dr. Gil Moore and Norm Kjome. Payloads were transferred to the appropriate parties and war stories of the flight, chase and recovery ensued.

The payloads suffered some damage. The Air Force Payload lost some antennas. The EOSS shuttle was severely damaged. The ATV Module Case has been written off as a complete loss. The ATV electronics are undergoing diagnostics to determine their status. The stepper motor that controls the pointing angle of the mirror was a total loss. The ATV transmitter board was somewhat crushed. Many components were bent. This board may still work. No tests have been completed at this time.