In celebration of COSI launching today and in anticipation of SPIDER launching soon, I need to catch up on posting photos from Anita III’s launch on the 19th of December. After a gruelling week of scrubbed launches, they finally got off on a beautiful day.
Hanging out on The Boss
Nightshift downside: I don't see nearly enough of The Boss in action
Anita and Erebus
Excellent day for solar panel testing and launch watching
Ice throne and buried test source
With a great view of the launch pad
Getting a close up view
With a telescope
Piball launch
Ever half hour during launch preparations, these are let go to track the wind speed and direction
Flag and sparkles
With lots of clouds for a while, I'd missed sunny days
SPIDER spectators
Work stops for launches
Living the life
I lounge on the ice throne
Payload ready to go
Inflation well underway
Fill tubes tied off
Moment of anticipation
Balloon release
Rising
The Boss drives to get underneath the balloon
Lots of manouvering
Launch!
Off goes Anita
Solar panels deployed downward
Happy travels!
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