ERAU/ANSR NASA Space Grant Eclipse High Altitude Balloon Test Flight

One of the eclipse experiments includes the launch of 55 high altitude balloons with student built camera payloads. Part of a NASA Space Grant program the goal is to capture images and video of the Moon's shadow as it moves along the path of totality from an altitude of 80,000 feet. Here you see the ERAU team test flight of their system. The test was successful in that the video stream worked very well. Although the burst altitude was 76,000 feet, short of the target 80,000 feet, a fix will allow for the target altitude to be reached during the eclipse flight. As a member of ANSR I will be part of the support team by radio contact with the launch team and the balloon in flight from my base camp in Douglas. The balloon will launch from Glendo, WY. under the direction of the Arizona Near Space Research (ANSR) group lead by Jack Crabtree. 60 days until the eclipse!!!