Specialists Bob & Bill carry out the KSA’s northern-most mission to gather new science and also test out data relay through Kravass from Zone JB354 for Nehemiah Engineering
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Kerbal Space Agency
@KSA_MissionCtrl
the equatorial region around us has been thoroughly troved for data, now agencies are looking towards both higher and lower latitudes for new measurements, like this contract for bit.ly/KerBalloonProg… MSV Tongjess has already set sail
Kerbal Space Agency
@KSA_MissionCtrl
Bob & Bill have departed Umbarg by airship to head to Kravass for their mission tomorrow. Bob will manage the release from MSV Tongjess while Bill provides tech support for the comms relay through Kravass to KSC
Kerbal Space Agency
@KSA_MissionCtrl
MSV Tongjess is leaving port w/Bob to sail 175km to the release point out in the middle of the northern sea. Bill is running comm tests in the meantime, as this will be our first data relay through Kravass
Kerbal Space Agency
@KSA_MissionCtrl
comm tests are nominal, Kravass radio tower sits at the peak of the mountain with 5,560km ASL being the top of the mast giving it a view 81.9km to the horizon. We'll be waiting a few minutes on the balloon to rise high enough to see
Kerbal Space Agency
@KSA_MissionCtrl
MSV Tongjess is arriving on station as crews prep balloon for release. Sun is just rising & skies looking mostly cloudy so they will wait for better conditions
Kerbal Space Agency
@KSA_MissionCtrl
Bob reports balloon has been released as clear skies approach on the horizon, Bill says comm center is ready to receive and relay telemetry
Kerbal Space Agency
@KSA_MissionCtrl
we have acquisition of signal as the balloon clears the horizon passing through 9.9km, an altitude it should have reached a few minutes ago which likely means some ice has formed on the envelope & is weighing the balloon down
Kerbal Space Agency
@KSA_MissionCtrl
envelope failure @ only 22.4km as vertical speed goes negative, looks like skies were not as clear as hoped when the balloon reached cloud height. Tongjess is catching up for recovery, balloon was outpacing it in an upper-level jet stream
Kerbal Space Agency
@KSA_MissionCtrl
MSV Tongjess reports they have the payload and will be returning to port in Kravass to drop it off with Bob, who will catch a ride back to KSC tonight w/Bill via airship
Kerbal Space Agency
@KSA_MissionCtrl
Bob & Bill are prepping to head back to KSC, they'll be picking through photos taken as the balloon ascended with an onboard camera. Here is a launch photo from off the fore deck
Kerbal Space Agency
@KSA_MissionCtrl
photos taken from yesterday's balloon mission can be perused in this gallery - imgur.com/a/oF7WT - by far our favorite is this glimpse of aurora spotted on the northern horizon
Kerbal Space Agency
@KSA_MissionCtrl
not a whole lot you could have missed this week but just in case you weren't paying attention get caught up with bit.ly/OpsSummary11-2…
