In the evening of December 21, we received word that the following day would have good enough weather to try to launch. Which was an improvement over the previous prediction that we’d have a windy day off before trying again.
So instead or a rest day, the team trickled back to LDB for what would turn out to be our launch. My spirits were very high, possibly due to just enough sleep to shrug of my exhaustion, but keeping a touch of delirium.
Here are my photos from the full day leading up to the big event.
McMurdo dorm room
After my brief rest between launch attempts
Derelict Junction
Particularly derelict. (In between the dorms and the main station building 155 in blue)
Snow and Mount Erebus
On a day that's starting to feel particularly launchy
Susan waves a magnet
To confirm that our magnetic compass works
Flight computers
Featuring bitsy and the the newly-renamed sh-isty
Bonus passenger
DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
Joseph has transcended such mild warnings
Unicorn head
Finally upright again. No wonder we didn't launch before!
Shiny Spider
Shiny Spider, wider
Rope swap
Penguin safety
In accordance with the Antarctic Treaty
Lifted up
Testing ballast
Dropping a small bit of the steel particles
Corwin resumes primary pump guarding duty
Spider in the sun
As she backs away from the deck
The "Science" mule has been repossessed
Checking out the balloon
That's a hopeful sign!
Suren takes a stint on The Boss
The balloon spool
Pushed out to the launch pad
Followed by the balloon box
And eventually the big helium trailers
Jared
Rose
While Jared takes people's portraits with Spider, I focus on just them
Simon
Susan
Silly Susan
Vy
Jason
Jason approves
Business Riccardo
Metal Riccardo
Suren
Johanna
Sho
Parachute heading to the launch pad
Having been successfully checked out
The Boss is moving
Spider's bosses are watching
As Spider moves
Around the corner
Two leashes
And a vacuum hose
Spider and Mount Erebus
Down the road
Approaching the launch pad
Navigating to launch position
New chair
In action!
Unboxing the balloon
The parachute
Waiting for the balloon to reach it
Spectator seating
As balloon inflation commences
Inflation
Spider and The Boss
Waiting
More inflation
This takes a while. The balloon is BIG!
Spider frisbee
A couple of these were found, from 2015
Fill tubes tied off
Launch-ready spectators
Let's go!
The balloon
Just before launch
Spool release!
Balloon rising
The Boss waiting to get underneath
Almost there
Balloon collar falls
It's supposed to do that
Spider takes a bow
As a final farewell, on release
Hanigng in midair
Ascending
With more collar
Last view of Spider
Before I run back inside to check on things
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