For the first phase of launch photos, I have preparation. This is from when we arrive in the morning (actually people like Matt start preparation before that by sending commands from their dorm rooms) to when we roll out for the launch pad. For people wanting to check on loved ones, this will be the most interesting post, as it actually contains people. Up close and well resolved people.
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- First step: caffeination
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- Matt doing stuff on his computer
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- The pager owned by “Interim User 9” (aka Matt)
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- Taping up some wind-worn mylar
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- Handle for Ballast Cart
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- The Boss and Victor arrive
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- Luke too, to make sure we’re safe
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- BLAST leaves the highbay for the last time ever (well, maybe not “ever” ever…)
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- Joseph takes his solar panels downstairs (that these couldn’t stay on between attempts was a bit of a pain, but the highbay isn’t tall enough)
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- Pushing a little further from the highbay crane, so The Boss can reach
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- Vic pushing
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- Enzo shows off his blue hat
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- Nick operates the crane
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- Wind bags aren’t as essential this day. The low-level winds were what was marginal
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- Mark sees to BLAST’s leashes
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- Cory and Joe hold the ladder
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- Turns out the blue hat used to be Barth’s. Barth is sad
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- Tristan. Not sad
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- The “balance bag” Elio put together. Deceptivley heavy due to lead bricks hidden at bottom
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- Lifted up
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- The ballast is wheeled into place
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- BLAST is on its yellow stilts, to be stabilized while people have to work underneath
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- I took photographic proof that the covers were removed from the pinhole sun sensors
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- Gabe, of course, was also around for the action
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- Pump hose run over to The Boss
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- Mark climbs onto The Boss to help see to things
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- Matt had shaved his beard. I didn’t recognize him
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- Tethered piball. Hard to see since it’s 1000ft high
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- Gabe and Elio check out the piball. It senses the low-level winds that could (if bad) have prevented us from launching
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- Lorenzo comes outside to see how things are going
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- Tristan comes outside and chills against the warm wall
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- One of many line-of-sight antennas, routed to the bottom of the solar panels
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- Joseph wires up his solar panels
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- I had to get more shots of dropping ballast. This time while the motor opens
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- I go down to get a wider view of the scene on and around the deck
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- As usual, Derek drives
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- Laura works inside, and watches the live webcam of what’s happening outside
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- Mark reaches up to test the level of the reaction wheel, during balancing
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- Harness for ladder climbing, taken off for the last time
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- Elio holds BLAST still, so it doesn’t blow around
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- Lorenzo too
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- Matt catches some lean on a shipping container
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- Off we go…
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- …to the highbay-adjacent holding area
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- We wait. For telemetry tests, and news of weather
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- Laura, returning dishes to the galley, pauses to admire BLAST
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- TM guys drop of the parachute, then leave while waiting
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- Back inside
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- Outside, Natalie checks out Mt Erebus
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- A haloed Mt Erebus was pretty active for most of the day
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- Still waiting
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- Spool sled, pulled by Trixie
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- The Boss, doing what The Bosses do
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- More of the spool truck, laid out for filling and launch
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- Some of the extra goodies that weren’t there earlier
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- Balloon box, on its custom sled to aid unpacking
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- Even more waiting. It wasn’t all that long, I just had to take a bunch of pictures
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- Mark waits by sitting outside on a ladder, smoking his pipe
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- Anne tracks a rising balloon ball
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- Helium tanks on their custom sleds
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- The parachute and The Boss and BLAST
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- Contents of the parachute cart. Lots of termination-related electronics here
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- Other side of the parachute things
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- Laura and Natalie
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- Off we go, to the pad
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- Waving goodbye
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- Bye BLAST
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- To Be Continued…
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