Due to very high upper level jet stream winds and their direction, the planned flight of ANSR-54 on March 6 has been scrubbed. The projected conditions and flight path predictions just made it too risky to proceed.

This flight for the Arizona Space Grant Consortium and it's "Changes in Altitudes" program will be rescheduled. Possible dates include April 10 (adding a second flight for that day) or more likely May 1, 2010. An announcement will be made when the decision is finalized.

A number of enthusiastic youths are disappointed in their second flight scrub in a year and will be looking forward to their flight when it can be rescheduled. ANSR is committed to making their projects a near space reality.

The next flight, ANSR-54 for the Space Grant ASCEND! program is scheduled for March 27, 2010. A detailed announcement will be forthcoming.

Jack Crabtree, W7JLC
ANSR/AZ Space Grant Liaison
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Prescott, AZ

Arizona Near Space Research (ANSR) is proud to announce the rescheduled flight of ANSR-53.

UPDATE: We will be also testing out the new IRLP node during this flight.

IRLP node: 9255

This high altitude balloon flight will take place on Saturday, February 6, 2010 at 9:00 A.M. This will be an equipment checkout flight for hardware used to support the Space Grant and ASCEND programs upcoming later this season.

The primary launch site will be Gila Bend High School, Gila Bend, AZ (32 deg 57.34 min, -112 deg 43.04 min)

The Secondary Launch site will be the University of Arizona Maricopa Agricultural Center, near Maricopa, AZ (33 deg 04.42 min, 111 deg 58.97 min).

The final launch site choice will depend on the predicted winds aloft. Watch for additional announcements on Friday prior to launch day (see links below).
The vehicle will be a 1200g helium-filled latex balloon. The expected burst altitude will be 90,000 feet or higher. The flight is anticipated to last about 2.5 hours from launch to touchdown.

Payload: In addition to ANSR flight computer/cross-band repeater and beacon packages, the balloon train will carry 3 additional packages including a digital cameras to photo-document the flight.

Talk In Prior to launch / tracking when cross-band repeater not available on
the Sacaton Peak,AZ repeater, 447.725 MHz/100.0 Hz PL tone.

During the flight we will be using the following comm plan:

Cross Band NB-FM Voice Repeater:
Input: 145.560 MHz/162.2 Hz PL tone
Output: 445.525 MHz Linked to IRLP Node 9255

APRS beacons will transmit position information as follows:
KA7NSR-11 on 445.950 MHzat 10, 20, 40, and 50 seconds UTC time

Landing prediction after burst at 15 and 45 seconds UTC time via KA7NSR
(no -SSID)

2 - APRS Beacons from Embry Riddle will also be flown on this flight as well.
Position information will be transmitted as follows.
N7ERU-11 on 445.925 MHz

Our mobile cross-band digi-peater will repeat the KA7NSR-11 APRS data to the 144.390 MHz standard APRS frequency and subsequently will be I-Gated to the internet for out-of-area trackers. N7ERU-11 may also be digipeated to I gate as well.

You can track the flight using the following links:
http://map.aprsworld.net/ka7nsr-11
http://aprs.fi/?call=ka7nsr-11
http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/find.cgi?call=ka7nsr-11
Additional and updated flight information, watch / subscribe to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ballooning -- ANSR remailer
Additional ANSR and High Altitude Ballooning information:
http://ansr.org -- Arizona Near Space Research
http://www.arhab.org -- Amateur Radio High Altitude Ballooning schedules
http://www.arhab.org/ARHABrecords.htm -- Worldwide HAB records tabulation

Increased military air traffic and training in the vicinity of the proposed launch site and a vigorous jet stream over Central Arizona this weekend have influenced the ANSR-53 Flight Director to postpone it. Look for this launch to be re-scheduled, possibly next weekend.
Current ANSR-53 flight info can be obtained via email by subscribing to our remailer. Please click the above tab "ANSR Yahoo! Group".

Arizona Near Space Research (ANSR) is proud to announce the flight of ANSR-53.

UPDATE: We will be also testing out the new IRLP node during this flight.

IRLP node: 9255

This high altitude balloon flight will take place on Saturday, February 6, 2010 at 9:00 A.M. This will be an equipment checkout flight for hardware used to support the Space Grant and ASCEND programs upcoming later this season.

The primary launch site will be the University of Arizona Maricopa Agricultural Center, near Maricopa, AZ (33 deg 04.42 min, 111 deg 58.97 min).

The Secondary Launch site will be Gila Bend High School, Gila Bend, AZ (32 deg 57.34 min, -112 deg 43.04 min)

The final launch site choice will depend on the predicted winds aloft. Watch for additional announcements on Friday prior to launch day (see links below).
The vehicle will be a 1200g helium-filled latex balloon. The expected burst altitude will be 90,000 feet or higher. The flight is anticipated to last about 2.5 hours from launch to touchdown.

Payload: In addition to ANSR flight computer/cross-band repeater and beacon packages, the balloon train will carry 3 additional packages including a digital cameras to photo-document the flight.

Talk In Prior to launch / tracking when cross-band repeater not available on
the Sacaton Peak,AZ repeater, 447.725 MHz/100.0 Hz PL tone.

During the flight we will be using the following comm plan:

Cross Band NB-FM Voice Repeater:
Input: 145.560 MHz/162.2 Hz PL tone
Output: 445.525 MHz Linked to IRLP Node 9255

APRS beacons will transmit position information as follows:
KA7NSR-11 on 445.950 MHzat 10, 20, 40, and 50 seconds UTC time

Landing prediction after burst at 15 and 45 seconds UTC time via KD7LMO
(no -SSID)

2 - APRS Beacons from Embry Riddle will also be flown on this flight as well.
Position information will be transmitted as follows.
N7ERU-11 on 445.925 MHz

Our mobile cross-band digi-peater will repeat the KA7NSR-11 APRS data to the 144.390 MHz standard APRS frequency and subsequently will be I-Gated to the internet for out-of-area trackers. N7ERU-11 may also be digipeated to I gate as well.

You can track the flight using the following links:
http://map.aprsworld.net/ka7nsr-11
http://aprs.fi/?call=ka7nsr-11
http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/find.cgi?call=ka7nsr-11
Additional and updated flight information, watch / subscribe to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ballooning -- ANSR remailer
Additional ANSR and High Altitude Ballooning information:
http://ansr.org -- Arizona Near Space Research
http://www.arhab.org -- Amateur Radio High Altitude Ballooning schedules
http://www.arhab.org/ARHABrecords.htm -- Worldwide HAB records tabulation

Arizona Near Space Research (ANSR) is proud to announce the flight of ANSR-52. This high altitude balloon flight will take place on Saturday, November 21, 2009 at 9:00 A.M. and will support the Fall '09 semester flight of the Arizona Space Grant Consortium ASCEND! program.

The primary launch site will be the University of Arizona Maricopa Agricultural Center, near Maricopa, AZ (33 deg 04.42 min, 111 deg 58.97 min).

The final launch site choice will depend on the predicted winds aloft. Watch for additional announcements on Friday prior to launch day (see links below).

The vehicle will be a 3000 gram helium-filled latex balloon. The expected burst altitude will be 90,000 feet or higher. The flight is anticipated to last about 2.5 hours from launch to touchdown.

Payload: In addition to ANSR flight computer/cross-band repeater and beacon packages, the balloon train will carry student-built packages containing a variety of scientific apparatus as well as digital cameras to photo-document the flight.

Participants: Groups which have constructed packages to be flown include:
University of Arizona
Arizona State University
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Pima Community College
South Mountain Community College

We thank the Arizona Space Grant Consortium for helping us fulfill our goal of "Promoting science and education through Amateur Radio and High Altitude Ballooning".
Additional program information:
http://spacegrant.arizona.edu/research/ascend

APRS beacons will transmit position information as follows:
KA7NSR-11 on 445.950 MHz
N7ERU-11 on 445.925 MHz

Our mobile cross-band digi-peater will repeat the N7ERU-11 APRS data to the 144.390 MHz standard APRS frequency and subsequently will be I-Gated to the internet for out-of-area trackers.

You can track the flight using the following links:
http://map.aprsworld.net/n7eru-11
http://aprs.fi/?call=n7eru-11
http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/find.cgi?call=n7eru-11

Additional and updated flight information, watch / subscribe to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ballooning -- ANSR remailer

Additional ANSR and High Altitude Ballooning information:
http://ansr.org -- Arizona Near Space Research
http://www.arhab.org -- Amateur Radio High Altitude Ballooning schedules
http://www.arhab.org/ARHABrecords.htm -- Worldwide HAB records tabulation
------------------------------------

We are mourning the tragic and senseless death of our friend, past-president and lead engineer of ANSR. Michael was an inspiration to all ANSR members, NASA Space Grant participants, High Altitude Ballooning and edge of space experimenters worldwide. For further details, follow the thread on ANSR "ballooning" group page at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ballooning/message/2810

On behalf of his friends, the ANSR Board of Directors and members, may he rest in peace.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Michael's family and his many friends.

James
AC7ZT

PS. Services and other details will be posted.
Main group page is:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ballooning/

While conditions are not optimum, we are still "GO!" for the Arizona Space Grant
flight ANSR-48 for 9:00 A.M. Saturday, April 4th. Surface winds will flare up on
Friday, but should subside enough by Saturday morning for the launch from Gila
Bend High School in Gila Bend, AZ.

The front passing through the area on Friday will also bring the Jet Stream such
that our predicted flight path is about 120 miles. The latest prediction can be
viewed at: http://kb7rmz.hopto.org/ansr48-040209.html. Travel time from the
launch site to the recovery area will be about 2.5 hours. Trackers will be
pre-deployed in the recovery area to ensure interception of APRS data as close
to ground as possible.

Check the

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ballooning/

website Friday evening for updates.

Jack Crabtree, W7JLC
ANSR/AZ Space Grant Liaison
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Prescott, Az

Please note the January 2009 meeting date change and three upcoming
ANSR programs scheduled to be presented to amateur radio clubs in
the Metro Phoenix area. Two are in January and another in February
'09. Times, dates, locations and links to the hosting clubs' websites
are posted at the ANSR (Yahoo Ballooning Groups) calendar. If you plan to
attend, watch this website or this link for any changes (January
calendar):

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ballooning/cal///group/Ballooning/?v=2&t=123088320\
0

You will also notice our January meeting has been changed to the

ANSR-47 is still planned for this Saturday morning for a launch from Gila Bend, AZ based on Friday wind data. We'll see the Sat morning wind data shortly and adjust as necessary, real-time updates to yahoo ballooning group.

Steve
KD7VRB