Away 34 mission
 [edit] JP Aerospace Away 34 missionAway 34 is scheduled to launch in September 2007 from Black Rock, NV, with spots for 50 PongSats. Mission goals:
Away 34 is going to be a stepping-stone mission for us. We have a new set of radios that we will be testing with an improved antenna array for added range. Our flight software is undergoing a few revisions to make them more reliable, more modular and more compatible with the newer radios. The mission weight is significantly less than our previous configurations, so we're expecting a fast climb and ultimately, a high altitude, assuming we hit the fill weight correctly. We are also going to be testing a few new additions to our launch bags that will make it even easier to launch in high crosswinds with changing wind directions. |
- 10/5/2007 - Rolling to the Desert
- One High Rack, 60 PongSats, one customer payload, 18 flight computers, seven flight telemetry systems, 3000 cubic feet of helium, van, rental truck, SUV, too much gear to even think about, snow on the pass, 300 miles to drive, a lot of determination, and one airship.
- 10/3/2007 - Go for Flight
- This Saturday we'll be flying two vehicles. One to 100,000 feet and the other to 90,000. The first is Away 34. The second is Micro Tandem. Micro Tandem is a new test bed for us.
- This mission will really push the team operationally. Our dual missions so far have been with similar types of vehicles. These two are very different from each other. High Racks like Away 34 require mostly monitoring in flight. Maybe a two dozen commands are sent. Micro Tandem will be operated by mission control nearly continously during it's trek to the edge of space.
- We're buried deep is the pile of todo's that always proceeds a mission. Packing, flight path projections, reviewing weather,checking in PongSats, trying to get PongSats out of customs, waiting on the one component that STILL hasn't arrived....
JPA Announces: Away 34 - including space for 50 PongSats![1]; JP Aerospace has spots for 50 PongSats aboard Away 34. Mission date is set for mid-September in Black Rock, NV.
- Away 34 mission goals:
- Go Really High!
- Take 50 PongSats to 100,000 ft.
- Test updated airship Hardware/Software (Telemetry/Radios/SensorCluster).
- Test new GPS Modules from Parallax.
- Verify on-board high-gain antenna and radio configuration.
- If time and weight allows, perform payload acceleration measurement.
- Away 34 is going to be a stepping-stone mission for us. We have another few missions planned for the Autumn and Winter season that will require us to get this mission done quickly. We have a new set of radios that we will be testing with an improved antenna array for added range. Our flight software is undergoing a few revisions to make them more reliable, more modular and more compatible with the newer radios. The mission weight is significantly less than our previous configurations, so we're expecting a fast climb and ultimately, a high altitude, assuming we hit the fill weight correctly.
- We are also going to be testing a few new additions to our launch bags that will make it even easier to launch in high crosswinds with changing wind directions. With high winds and changing directions on the last mission, the flaps on our launch bags were catching a bit too much air. A redesign of the openings will hopefully solve the problem.
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