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

Jason approves

Business Riccardo

Metal Riccardo

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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