Oops! After all the chaos of launch day, and the flight, and … life … I forgot to upload all my photos from launch day. Here they are at last.
Late on April 15 we showed up to prepare for our first (and it turns out only) launch attempt. After a rush of activity doing all our pre-flight checks, we spend much of the rest of the day waiting and fretting. And, in my case, taking a few (hundred) photographs.
Launch day!
Better take some pre-flight photos before we never see it (intact) again
Starboard electronics
Starboard rear
Port side
Port rear
Rear rear
Boresight star camera
Roll star camera
Solar skirt, SuperBIT, shelves
SuperBIT is ready to launch
Barth is ready to launch
Rolling out the door
For what turned out to be the last time
Rotating
Crane approaching
Lifted on stands
Ausan gives everything a last once-over
Emaad checks the GoPro
Sadly, it kept dying
Solar skirt
Lifing up
Dropping down
Richard manages the pull cord on the telescope cover
Curtis's hot water test
For a down-looking thermal sensor
Parachute cart
Removing the cart
SuperBIT, complete and free hanging
Soft underbelly
With ballast hopper (middle), data drop packages (corners), and antennas (assorted, dangling)
Mike manages BIT's leash
Off to the pad
The SPB team guards their balloon
And the balloon heads out
Balloon truck nearing BIT and the launch pad
Flight line at sunrise
SuperBIT at sunrise
Helium trucks too
SuperBIT closer up
I go to the pad to remove the telescope cover
Telescope cover snagged
SuperBIT on launch vehicle
Cover removed
With the help of a boom lift
Last good look at SuperBIT
From the lift
Vy, Emaad, and I pose
Superbit and the flight line
Parachute
One more of SuperBIT on the launch vehicle
Before we all need to go back to the safety area around our hangar
Lens caps
Confirmation that they were all removed
Golden haze
Trying to see what's happening around the balloon box
Richard
While I'm waiting around with a telephoto lens in, I pester people with close-ups
Vy
Helicopter
Ross
Tracking a pi-ball on the theodolite
Curtis
Opening up the balloon
Threading on the spool
EUSO team
Comes out to watch
Wanaka traffic 120.1 MHz
And the balloon being laid out
Tow balloon inflation
Used to lift the heavy top plate of the main balloon
Tow balloon ready
Main balloon inflation starts
Main balloon inflation
Yup, SuperBIT is still there
Main balloon inflation
Nice low wind
Peanut gallery
Barth and Sue
Inflation well along
Tow balloon released
Rebecca watches
Balloon ready to go!
Spool released
Balloon rising
Balloon in giant slow jellyfish mode
Launch vehicle maoeuvering
Collar released
SuperBIT is free!
SuperBIT is FREE!!!
Rising over the hills
Final looks
Goodbye BIT!
SuperBIT and balloon
Still early in ascent. Time to head inside and look at plots.
Fly, fly, fly ✔️
At the completion of our pre-flight checklist
Cozy monitoring shift
A week later, after the chaos has settled, I take a monitoring shift by the fireplace
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