Crews set out to launch two high-altitude balloons within close proximity of each other at Elinica’s Legacy and Pilot’s Wonder, however complications prevent them from completing both missions
Kerbal Space Agency
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bit.ly/KerBalloonProg… has signed another contract that will take it 111km to the north of KSC, still doable w/o needing help from Genesis
Kerbal Space Agency
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after an exhaustive full day of negotiations, bit.ly/KerBalloonProg… has 3 new contracts signed and dated for this week & next
Kerbal Space Agency
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KerBalloon crews finalizing prep to head 111km north to launch 2 high-alt payloads tmrw. They don't need Bob or Bill to be around
Kerbal Space Agency
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UTV column departing before sunrise, it will take almost the full day cycle to cover the ~120km overland distance to bit.ly/Elinicas_Legacy
Kerbal Space Agency
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comms relay airship coming on station @ 4km ASL as UTVs travel north into the Highlands & can now no longer remain in direct sight of KSC
Kerbal Space Agency
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airship also can't remain in sight of both UTVs & KSC when they reach launch area, but it is equipped w/higher-powered over-horizon comms
Kerbal Space Agency
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UTVs have reached the first launch site & are prepping the balloon. Contract wants a night-time ascent. Will recover payload next day cycle
Kerbal Space Agency
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launch! Not dark yet on the grnd but will be by the time balloon starts gathering data @ 19.1km. Mostly-cloudy conditions may hamper ascent
Kerbal Space Agency
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w/o direct link we don't have any photos from the mission underway so here's a look at similar weather conditions outside KSC a few mins ago
Kerbal Space Agency
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we're now several minutes overdue to acquire the balloon's telemetry signal, but we suspect the VAB is getting in the way again. Hopefully.
Kerbal Space Agency
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we don't *need* AOS. Pressure sensors will deploy chutes, but nice to have tlm data for assurance & analysis in case something goes wrong
Kerbal Space Agency
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signal acquisition! Balloon has drifted westward enough VAB is no longer blocking the signal. Currently at 18.5km all appears to be nominal
Kerbal Space Agency
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despite iffy launch conditions, a great ascent to 24.6km before envelope failure. UTVs will begin tracking down the payload at 3rd sunrise
Kerbal Space Agency
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UTVs finally tracked down payload 50km WSW from launch site, loading up and then heading off to bit.ly/Pilots_Wonder for 2nd launch
Kerbal Space Agency
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roughly 80km later UTVs have reported in from the 2nd launch location & are prepping to repeat 1st ascent/recovery with this balloon as well
Kerbal Space Agency
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KB crew reports inflation failure due to over-pressurization & balloon burst shortly after liftoff. Payload truss damaged, instruments okay
Kerbal Space Agency
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UTVs will start the 120km trek back for KSC at next sunrise, at least fuel will not be a worry w/o needing to track down the 2nd payload
Kerbal Space Agency
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KB crew are breaking camp & getting rdy to roll, expecting to be back at KSC before sundown if they don't encounter any problems on traverse
Kerbal Space Agency
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KB crew has made it back to KSC safe & sound, will retry the 2nd launch tomorrow as the contract deadline is still not for a few more days
Kerbal Space Agency
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KerBalloon crew already hard at work getting a new unit prepped for launch later today, altho weather appears to be closing in from the west
Kerbal Space Agency
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KerBalloon is ready for deployment but doesn't look like weather will clear up by next sunrise. UTVs are standing by to depart if it does
Kerbal Space Agency
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mission is scrubbed today for the KerBalloon crew, they will try again w/ Bill on Monday no matter what as afterwards contract expires
Kerbal Space Agency
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KerBalloon (the manufacturer) says it will carry out a review of their quality control after hearing about the over-pressurization failure
Kerbal Space Agency
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time to close out the work week! As usual, review of this past week & extra details available in our Ops Summary: bit.ly/OpsSummary6-19…
