BEAR-5  -  April 24th, 2010

The launch was at 7:53:40 AM, the balloon burst at 9:34 AM at ≈ 92,359 ft. and the payload landed 14.1 miles away at 10:43:40 AM after a 2 hr. & 50 min. flight. This launch was for University of Alberta Physics students (right) who wanted to learn how we launch, track and recover high altitude balloon payloads which they plan to start doing themselves with various physics experiments aboard in the near future. The altitude reached was actually better then expected and quite good considering a 30 yr old surplus military balloon was used that had been handled by countless people over the years as it was handed down from one to the next until ending up in our possession. Our predicted landing location was only 7 km (4.35 miles) off and also quite good considering the balloon size, weight, rate of rise and many other variables where simply a rough guess.


(left) The payload box and tracker were the same as used for BEAR-4 and the girls brought a UofA women's sports panda bear for a payload.

(right) A second tracker, identical to the first and one from BEAR-3, was also used to compare two slightly different antennas being used for the first time.

See the 1/4 wave antenna page for details & other information on the two antennas.

Link to a map with the flight path, KML files & other information.

Everything was laid out in an area sheltered from any wind by a school and I safely tucked the panda in.


Garrett & James used a 'duck tape adapter' to fit the smaller then usual balloon neck to our filling tube and began filling the main balloon section.

The balloon also had a second skirt section that the payload is normally attached to, but, other then that, we didn't know how it was designed to be used exactly and if it should be also inflated
or simply left as is.

After the main section became buoyant and a fair amount of additional gas was added it was clear much more would be needed to overcome the weight of the skirt so we removed it like many do with this type of balloon to make a much higher altitude possible.

With the skirt removed there was already plenty of lift for the parachute and 2 payload containers which were then attached. Some of the students then walked the balloon assembly away from the school before releasing it and the balloon quickly acquired a flattened top before disappearing above the mist which had appeared since arriving at the site.

Above - one of the stops along the way while tracking the balloon using laptops with mapping software or Google Earth.

The balloon landed on private property about 1000 ft. from the road where we were waiting for it to land and after getting permission from the property owner we hiked to landing spot. Some friendly horses were encountered along the way and a cut line made it much easier to hike through some of the wooded area.

Above - The property owner returning to the woods with James and the group.

Right - James takes the
first turn at chopping.
But recovery wasn't going to be easy with everything tangled up in the upper branches of a poplar tree about 45 ft. from the ground. Climbing such a tree requires special equipment and after considering all the options the easiest recovery method would be to simply cut the tree down so we headed back to check if the property owner was ok with this, which she was. The problem now was where to get an axe or saw, but luckily the owner sensed this, lent us an axe and joined us back into the woods to enjoy the fun.

The chopping wasn't easy, but the tree finally fell . . . . . . . .



and everything was recovered in great shape.

Back from the woods, everyone checks out the remains of the balloon. Laura removes her panda bear from the payload capsule and is happy to find it made it back safe and sound, although a bit chilly, and Tanya checks out the second tracker.



Left - Laura with Barbra, who made recovery possible by allowing us to invade her land & helped immensely  by lending an axe and allowing us to chop down a tree.
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