Balloon Flight Mission Control Procedures
Flight 2002B - Sky-Eye III Launch - 16 November 2002
de W4AU - John Unger - Wednesday - November 13, 2002 9:02 AM
With Change 1 (in red) dated Thursday, November 14, 2002 11:07 AM Local

1. Establish comms with Launch, Tracking and Recovery Teams, synchronize watches, and request time to ops ready status for each Team 1.1. Comms freqs: 146.580 simplex, ~7.010 CW, 7.285, and below LSB; options: 147.060 (Frederick repeater), 147.255 (Martinsburg repeater)

2. Schedule launch time (approx. 0900 EDST) and relay to all Teams; synchronize watches

3. Launch Team is ready to fill the balloon
3.1. Verify that Tracking and Recovery Teams are ready for launch

4. When all teams are ready, clear the Launch Team to fill the balloon.

5. Launch Team is ready to release the balloon
5.1. Verify all teams ready to copy balloon signal

6. Give permission for Launch Team release the balloon; record launch time.

7. Stand by for Acquisition of Signal (AOS)

8. Record AOS time and relay to all tracking teams.
8.1. Schedule tracking observations at 10-minute intervals from AOS.
8.2. Initial tracking observation as soon as all tracking stations have AOS.
8.3. Confirm that CW telemetry is being continuously recorded

9. Take bearings from Tracking Teams (repeat reports for others to copy) and plot fixes.

10. Monitor flight telemetry on downlink (145.650 MHz).
10.1 Plot pressure (altitude) every transmission if possible and outside temperature.

11. Periodically report flight status to all teams.
12. Report max altitude (burst height) and descent phase to all teams.

13. Estimate descent time and calculate estimated touch down time.

14. Estimate landing area and relay to all teams.

15. Continue to plot fixes.

16. When downlink indicates touchdown:
16.1. Call for final bearings,
16.2. Plot final fix
16.3. Relay final fix to all trackers
16.4. Assign one tracking station (or mission control) to monitor balloon package signal
16.4.1. Terminate tracking ops and stand by until Tracking Teams are packed and ready to travel.

17. When tracking Teams are ready to travel terminate mission control ops and clear all teams to head for landing area

MISSION CONTROL - EQUIPMENT LIST
Medium scale (~1:250,000) map(s) of region mounted on rigid board with compass rose at Mission Control location - W4AU

Protractor (large, circular; 0-360 degrees) -- W4AU

Large triangle (for drawing N - S lines through Tracking Team locations -- W4AU

Table of pressure vs. altitude -- WB3AKD

Made-up table for entering pressure, voltage, and temperature data from downlink -- W4AU

Notebook computer -- W4AU

Tape recorder -- W4AU

DF gear -- W4AU

Compass -- W4AU

2-meter rig - Comms - N4OHE

2-meter rig - tracking - WB3AKD, W4AU, N4OHE

HF rig - Comms - N4OHE


MISSION CONTROL - PERSONNEL DUTIES

Track balloon as part of Tracking Team

Record and plot data from Tracking Teams

Communicate with Launch, Tracking, and Recovery Teams

Record and plot data from balloon telemetry

Personnel:

W4AU - record and plot tracking data - oversee comms

N4OHE - HF comms with tracking teams - tracking from MC

KE4FYL - VHF comms with tracking teams - coordinate tracking data collection

K4AJA - help with comms and tracking duties

K4LJH - record and plot balloon telemetry data from home QTH

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