Author Topic: Re: New Balloon cruising at 120 at the moment (Read 45417 times)

boffin · « **Reply #75 on:** April 30, 2016, 03:45:18 am »

Surprised they didn't take pot-shots at it as it went about 10km east of Groom Lake aka Area 51

ez24 · « **Reply #76 on:** April 30, 2016, 04:05:11 am »

Quote from: miguelvp on April 30, 2016, 02:33:20 am

I really thought you were kidding.

Of course they just shoot random things off the sky, because of course they have to spend our tax money right?

No I was not kidding. A blip over North Dakota could be an ICBM. Also 20mm bullets are far likely not to harm someone when they come down there because of the sparse population. One falling from the sky will go through a roof.

I wish someone had the balls to contact NORAD, I do not

Red Squirrel · « **Reply #77 on:** April 30, 2016, 05:12:52 am »

Probably best not to contact them. With the bureaucracy of today's world I would not be surprised if you need some kind of permit to do something like this and could get in trouble.

I think it's pretty inevitable when sending something like this out that it will just vanish either due to human or natural cause, and it would definitly be cool to be able to know what caused it but would be a tough thing to do unless you can have 24/7 telemetry which would be hard to achieve. I think it's awesome that it worked as well as it did and kinda makes me want to try it. Would be neat to set one up that takes aerial pictures or something too.

miguelvp · « **Reply #78 on:** April 30, 2016, 06:29:03 am »

I think it's more plausible that it was cold weather and that the balloon wont hold the gas forever. It was a great run as it was after so many days.

Those party balloons stay inflated for a while but not over two weeks. The chances of being the gov or military are pretty much nill.

continuo · « **Reply #79 on:** April 30, 2016, 08:26:28 am »

I'm with miguelvp on this. The darn thing was over war zones and countless densely populated areas with heavy air traffic and lots of radar - no one cared. It's a miracle in itself that it even lasted that long, it had to end someday.

botcrusher · « **Reply #80 on:** April 30, 2016, 10:16:34 am »

How so? It was launched in Toronto. Assuming the OP isn't an american who went to canada to launch, i don't see how he could get in trouble with norad when asking about a balloon.

Perhaps the next one should include a UHF receiver and microSD card, and some way to auto tune to the local airband and broadcast the recorded data back home/ to pre agreed points around the world
(Maybe not, use of airband frequencies are a tad dubious.)

stmdude · « **Reply #81 on:** April 30, 2016, 01:19:00 pm »

Quote from: botcrusher on April 30, 2016, 10:16:34 am

How so? It was launched in Toronto. Assuming the OP isn't an american who went to canada to launch, i don't see how he could get in trouble with norad when asking about a balloon.

NOrad = North American. It's staffed by US and Canadian forces.

ciccio · « **Reply #82 on:** April 30, 2016, 03:30:11 pm »

To the O.P. :
thank you again for sharing. Hope to read of a new flight.
I reported this incredible story to some friends who worked in atmospheric research and they believed me only after I've pointed them to this post.
Best regards

botcrusher · « **Reply #83 on:** April 30, 2016, 04:54:21 pm »

Quote from: stmdude on April 30, 2016, 01:19:00 pm

Quote from: botcrusher on April 30, 2016, 10:16:34 am
How so? It was launched in Toronto. Assuming the OP isn't an american who went to canada to launch, i don't see how he could get in trouble with norad when asking about a balloon.

NOrad = North American. It's staffed by US and Canadian forces.

Yeah, but let's be real. who's got nukes, and who is worried about being nuked. not canada XD

Also, if they shot it down for kicks (if they did shoot it down) that makes more sense because you'd have to be quite drunk to mistake a balloon for an ICBM!

-Far, far too slow
-Radar would basically tell them it's a party balloon / something the size of them
-They don't shoot down birds, do they?

Anyways, this mystery will probably be never solved.
Should totally put a backup battery with the sole purpose to flash an led periodically and perhaps try a few powerful bursts of data to locate it upon landing.

timb · « **Reply #84 on:** April 30, 2016, 08:49:13 pm »

When I was a kid, I studied for my ham license, but never actually took the test (mid-90's, the Internet was really starting to catch on, so my attention went to computers). This has kind of inspired me, now I'm seriously thinking about getting my license and doing something like this.

So cool, much wow.

KE5FX · « **Reply #85 on:** April 30, 2016, 10:11:14 pm »

Quote from: ez24 on April 30, 2016, 04:05:11 am

No I was not kidding. A blip over North Dakota could be an ICBM.

You're 98 balloons short.

Although I do wonder how the export cops at the Commerce Department would react if that thing came down in North Korea, Iran or Sudan.

botcrusher · « **Reply #86 on:** April 30, 2016, 10:15:32 pm »

We have intercepted your high tech espionage device!

-you mean two party balloons an 8 bit mcu?

XD

Skimask · « **Reply #87 on:** April 30, 2016, 10:17:25 pm »

Quote from: ez24 on April 30, 2016, 04:05:11 am

A blip over North Dakota could be an ICBM.

I didn't see anything.
Just a few lowly B-52H's flying over the house...

botcrusher · « **Reply #88 on:** April 30, 2016, 10:33:09 pm »

I was talking to someone about the balloon, they brought up the possibility of an emp.

They can be aimed fairly precise using the right method. I saw a friend make one using a crt coil, crt cap, and metal dome to focus it.
It made iphones flip out, then lock up and shut off. :rofl

continuo · « **Reply #89 on:** April 30, 2016, 10:35:10 pm »

The North Koreans know a thing or two about how to scare the, uhum, crap out of their southern brothers by the means of evil party balloon attacks...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/northkorea/12135252/North-Korea-bombards-South-with-used-toilet-paper.html

ez24 · « **Reply #90 on:** April 30, 2016, 10:58:17 pm »

Quote from: continuo on April 30, 2016, 10:35:10 pm

The North Koreans know a thing or two about how to scare the, uhum, crap out of their southern brothers by the means of evil party balloon attacks...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/northkorea/12135252/North-Korea-bombards-South-with-used-toilet-paper.html

To me it looks like Dave's balloon went over N Korea. Actually that is why I thought NORAD shot it down. NORAD does not want balloons of used TP flying over N. Dakota. (see the connection - they are both North). Can you just imagine the headlines in the summer - "Korean shit hits the fans"

TerraHertz · « **Reply #91 on:** April 30, 2016, 11:07:00 pm »

What a great project!
As for why it died, rather than it being shot down, what about failure of the balloon due to UV/sunlight degradation of the balloon skin? Or water penetration of the electronics. Something really simple like 'string broke.' Or icing up and sinking to the ground due to over-weight.

Or, if the military did notice it and act, could well have been done using the new anti-missile laser systems.

Suggestions for next time:
- A power down/wakeup timer and enough battery capacity for at least a few fixes during the night.
- A message on the outside "If found, please contact ..." (in a few different languages)

And in the the probably too hard or too heavy category:
- Tiny camera from a mobile phone, and ability to transmit images.
- A small reserve battery, some means of detecting falling, low altitude or on ground, to allow a final burst giving last known position. Then a small RF pinger - very short burst every hour, for several days. Give the last known location and ping frequency to the geocaching community and see if they can find it.

botcrusher · « **Reply #92 on:** April 30, 2016, 11:46:58 pm »

Balloons make good target practice for lasers...

Skimask · « **Reply #93 on:** May 01, 2016, 01:55:27 am »

I just noted the date/time of the last update.
That area of the state got beat up pretty good a few days ago. And just happens that I'll be near Hettinger SD on Monday and Tuesday of thus coming week.
Wouldn't that be a trip to find it on the side of the road...

Psi · « **Reply #94 on:** May 01, 2016, 02:38:33 am »

Quote from: Red Squirrel on April 30, 2016, 05:12:52 am

Probably best not to contact them. With the bureaucracy of today's world I would not be surprised if you need some kind of permit to do something like this and could get in trouble.

For most countries it's legal to operate/launch unmanned vehicles when you fly under 400feet and only during the daylight hours (Model RC rules). Anything above 400feet or operated at night requires authorization from the country's aviation body. (Which they normally only grant to commercial operators, not hobbyists)

In USA i think you need to be registered now, even to fly under 400feet.

So make no mistake, an unmanned balloon traveling around the world is classed under the same rules as RC and totally illegal in pretty much any country it fly's over.

continuo · « **Reply #95 on:** May 01, 2016, 10:42:12 am »

Please... Lasers...

They probably shot it down by using the highly advanced "Balloonwall 420 APBM" (anti party balloon missile) system.

rdl · « **Reply #96 on:** May 01, 2016, 11:36:19 am »

How could a balloon drifting with no means of control be considered an "RC" model?

Psi · « **Reply #97 on:** May 01, 2016, 11:42:37 am »

Control is not a requirement, it's still classed as an unmanned aerial vehicle or drone (depending on terminology in the specific country)

It's scary what the law applies too. Like those simple toys that spin a propeller up to speed and release it into the air.

rdl · « **Reply #98 on:** May 01, 2016, 11:55:14 am »

I don't know, but it might make for an interesting legal case. I know all the FAA rules use the words "flown", "controlled", and "operated" when referencing UAS, none of which seem to apply in this situation.

Brumby · « **Reply #99 on:** May 01, 2016, 12:30:17 pm »

Quote from: rdl on May 01, 2016, 11:55:14 am

I don't know, but it might make for an interesting legal case. I know all the FAA rules use the words "flown", "controlled", and "operated" when referencing UAS, none of which seem to apply in this situation.

As I see it, "controlled" would not seem to be immediately applicable, but we (or certainly I) don't know is - what technicality could be applied in a legal case.

However, "operated" and "flown" make no inference of control - other than an intention that has been carried out. These two terms would apply, IMHO.


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Author Topic: Re: New Balloon cruising at 120 at the moment (Read 45417 times)

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