Okay, so, a few buddies and I got this wild idea to send a weather balloon up as high as it could go. We’d seen some cool videos online, and we were like, “We gotta do that!”
Get the stuff
First things first, we needed to get all the gear. We hit up a bunch of online stores and grabbed a big weather balloon, a parachute – gotta have that for a safe landing, you know – and a GPS tracker so we could find the thing after it came back down. We also got a styrofoam cooler to act as our payload box, you know, to hold all the electronics and stuff. Oh, and of course, a GoPro to capture all the action from way up high.
Put it together
Next, we started putting everything together. We cut a hole in the cooler and mounted the GoPro inside, making sure it had a clear view. Then we wired up the GPS tracker and stuck it in there too. We also added some hand warmers inside the cooler because we heard it gets crazy cold up there, and we didn’t want our gear to freeze.
Fill it up
The day of the launch, we headed out to a big, open field. We got a tank of helium – that’s what makes the balloon float, obviously – and started filling up the balloon. This thing was huge! It took a while, but we finally got it all filled up and tied it off. It is important to have the correct amount of gas in the balloon, because if it is not filled up enough, it will not reach high altitudes.
Attach the stuff
Then we attached the parachute and the payload box to the balloon. We used a bunch of strong cord and made sure everything was secure. It’s really important that it is all tied together properly, otherwise it could be a disaster.
Launch it
With everything ready, we counted down and let the balloon go. It shot up into the sky, and we all cheered. We watched it get smaller and smaller until it was just a tiny speck.
Track it
We kept an eye on the GPS tracker, following the balloon’s path on our phones. It drifted for a few hours, going higher and higher. It is important to check the weather conditions before launching the balloon, as we want to ensure that it will not get caught in any severe weather conditions.
It came down
Eventually, the balloon reached its maximum altitude, and then it popped – that’s what they’re designed to do. The parachute opened up, and the payload started floating back down to Earth. We jumped in the car and drove to the predicted landing spot.
Find it
After a bit of searching, we found the cooler in a field, right where the GPS said it would be. The GoPro was still recording, and the footage was amazing! We saw the curve of the Earth and everything. It was such a cool experience.
Look at the footage
We packed up our stuff and headed home, eager to watch the full video. It was definitely one of the most awesome things we’ve ever done. We’re already planning our next launch!
- Get supplies
- Assemble payload
- Fill balloon
- Attach payload
- Launch!
- Track the flight
- Recover payload
- Watch the footage
Man, I tell you, watching that balloon go up and seeing those views was something else. If you ever get a chance to do something like this, go for it! You won’t regret it.
