HD Video From the Edge of Space, On the Cheap

YosemiteSam

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More good stuff.

These Canadian guys attached a HD video camera to a hydrogen balloon and launched. It rose to 104k feet (just shy of 20 miles high) and the balloon popped and the camera parachuted back to earth. It recorded the whole thing in HD! :)

The video is almost 10 minutes, though the total flight was about 2 hours and 45 minutes. You can watch the launch, then fast forward to about the middle and at that point, they fast forward to where it is basically in space. You see the balloon pop and it start falling. You can watch it fall for a while, then they fast forward to right before it hits the ground.

Very cool stuff!

[youtube]<object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Lie0diOhfdg&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Lie0diOhfdg&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>[/youtube]
 
Pretty cool...albeit nauseating. They might want to try putting some fins or air foils on whatever casing they use to try and control its descent next time.
 
Ummm, I have a question. How did they get the camera back and please don't tell me they had 20 miles of string!?

:muttley:
 
DallasCowpoke;2966135 said:
Ummm, I have a question. How did they get the camera back and please don't tell me they had 20 miles of string!?

:muttley:

Gravity took over, it wasn't completely out in space so it still fell
 
the kid 05;2966140 said:
Gravity took over, it wasn't completely out in space so it still fell

Soooo, your theory is, an untethered balloon ascends 20 miles into the air, taking 2:45, then magically makes the roughly 20-30 minute free-fall back to earth, and it's noooo problem finding it? That's what you're going with Mr Wizard!!??
 
DallasCowpoke;2966168 said:
Soooo, your theory is, an untethered balloon ascends 20 miles into the air, taking 2:45, then magically makes the roughly 20-30 minute free-fall back to earth, and it's noooo problem finding it? That's what you're going with Mr Wizard!!??

They somehow controlled it's decent. You can see them waiting for it a brief second before it actually landed. I'm sure it had GPS on it. They are a bit more technical than your average joe.
 
DallasCowpoke;2966168 said:
Soooo, your theory is, an untethered balloon ascends 20 miles into the air, taking 2:45, then magically makes the roughly 20-30 minute free-fall back to earth, and it's noooo problem finding it? That's what you're going with Mr Wizard!!??

Simple misunderstanding on my part, I thought ment like "how did it come back down to earth"
 
DallasCowpoke;2966168 said:
Soooo, your theory is, an untethered balloon ascends 20 miles into the air, taking 2:45, then magically makes the roughly 20-30 minute free-fall back to earth, and it's noooo problem finding it? That's what you're going with Mr Wizard!!??

GPS. Small enough to fit in your iPhone, small enough for this project.
 

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