ANSR-143/144 - 1 April 2023 - ASCEND-47/48 Spring 2023 Flight

NOTE: The final launch site is just west of Brenda, Arizona, near the intersection of I-10 and US-60 west of Phoenix at 33°39.875’N, 114°0.450’W.

We are reverting to an overfill that will produce a lift of 120% of payload mass to extend the flight and clear the mountains northeast of Brenda.

Please Note: Let’s use the ARA Smith Peak repeater (443.775 + offset 100.0 PLL) as it will provide excellent coverage for the flight and recovery area. Alternately there is a sister repeater up there at 146.68 – offset, 162.2 PLL

Note: Due to adverse directions of winds aloft, the launch site has been moved to near Brenda, AZ near the intersection of I-10 and US-60 west of Phoenix and the launch times have been delayed an hour to 10:00 AM and 10:30 AM.

Good Morning,

The launch day prediction for the ANSR-143/ASCEND-47 balloon flight with a 120% fill of hydrogen is for a flight of 93 km (58 miles) on a bearing of 053º, landing at 34° 9.959'N, 113° 11.269'W, or 25 km (15.5 miles) north of the town of Aguila, Arizona and just north of Alamo Road. Burst should occur after 87 minutes with a total flight time of 118 minutes. The assumptions for this prediction are a 3000 gram balloon, payload mass of 8.683 kg (19.102 lbs), neck lift of 10.419 kg (22.922 lbs), an ascent rate of 5.7 m/sec (1126 fpm), a burst altitude of 30,296 meters (99,400 feet), descent rate at landing of 6.9 m/sec (1349 fpm) and using the Sondehub Predictor. Google Earth KML, JPG files are attached.

The launch of ANSR-143/ASCEND-47 is scheduled for today, Saturday, April 1, 2023 at 10:00 AM MST (1700 UT), from a launch site west of Brenda, Arizona, near the intersection of I-10 and US-60 west of Phoenix (33°39.875’, 114°0.450’W).

The launch day prediction for the ANSR-144/ASCEND-48 balloon flight with a 120% fill of hydrogen is for a flight of 92 km (57 miles) on a bearing of 054º, landing at 34° 9.163'N, 113° 11.258'W, or 1.5 km (0.9 miles) south of the ANSR-143 landing. Burst should occur after 87 minutes with a total flight time of 119 minutes. The assumptions for this prediction are a 3000 gram balloon, payload mass of 8.453 kg (19.352 lbs), neck lift of 10.143 kg (22.315 lbs), an ascent rate of 5.7 m/sec (1119 fpm), a burst altitude of 30,418 meters (99,800 feet), descent rate at landing of 6.8 m/sec (1332 fpm) and using the Sondehub Predictor. Google Earth KML, JPG files are attached.

The launch of ANSR-144/ASCEND-48 is tentatively scheduled for today, Saturday, April 1, 2023 at 10:30 AM MST (1730 UT), from a launch site west of Brenda, Arizona, near the intersection of I-10 and US-60 west of Phoenix (33°39.875’, 114°0.450’W).

The Weather Underground forecast for Maricopa, AZ for Saturday, April 1, 2023, is for: Plentiful sunshine. High 76F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.. Weather at launch time is forecast to be sunny with a temperature of 65F and winds NW at 3 mph.

Best Regards,

Bob Thompson, KC8BOB

NOTAM # for ANSR 143, NOTAM # ZAB 03/350

ANSR 144, NOTAM # ZAB 03/351