[HSIS] Test Proposal for Paper Airplanes In Near-Space - High-Altitude Advertisement for the 3/5/11 Tech Expo Pig Roast

Mon Feb 14 09:27:47 CST 2011

Mmm,

      Truth is though when you look at the UAH Ozonesonde team, they have a
styrofoam case on their payload that they do not recover.  Bill, what do you
understand about how liberal we can be with addressing a possible littering
problem?

                - Ethan

On Mon, Feb 14, 2011 at 8:28 AM, Erik Arendall <earendall at gmail.com> wrote:

> I would add to the flier that it is printed on a biodegradable paper and
> soy ink. The last thing we want is a government agency showing up and
> charging us for littering and environmental damage.
>
> Erik
>
> On Sat, Feb 12, 2011 at 5:06 PM, Ethan Chew <spacefelix at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Hello,
>>
>>       To test the veracity of the claim that paper airplanes launched from
>> a high-altitude balloon can turn up halfway around the world, and because of
>> the upcoming Makers Local 256 Mardi Gras Pig Roast/Tech Expo on 3/5/11, I
>> propose that we do a quick and dirty test to check the claim and advertise!
>>       To advertise, I would like to take 100 of our fliers, print them
>> with non-toxic ink on biodegradable card stock or heavy paper, fold them
>> into paper airplanes and launch them on a weather balloon.  As of now, we
>> have enough experience to know how to do it from the make shop and we have
>> two 800 gram weather balloons with a payload capacity of 2.5 pounds each to
>> 17.4 miles (91,000 feet) above sea level.  All we need is a payload net
>> to hold the planes and release them at balloon burst and ~200 ft^3 of
>> Helium at 1 atmosphere of pressure and 25 degC.  This will be ~$25 of helium
>> for one flight.  As this flight needs no recovery, no tracking systems are
>> required and we can just fly with the balloon and payload carrier.
>>      This is where the test comes in; I would like to launch one week
>> before the expo and put a discount ticket to the event if a plane is
>> recovered as well as a unique phrase attached to each ticket.  This way,
>> people who come in the door claiming to have recovered a plane must verify
>> it and state where they got it.  This way, we can roughly determine where
>> the planes turned up.
>>      I estimate this project would take two whole working days of labor
>> and cost a total of ~$75 to fly ($25 for lifting gas and $50 for materials).
>>  I am seeking to start building on 2/21/11 and launch on 2/27/11.  I would
>> like help in finding the appropriate paper material for the airplanes, inks
>> that are non-toxic and how to obtain lifting gas as well as people to help
>> organize, build, test and fly the project.
>>
>>                 - Ethan
>>
>> P.S. As for regulations; for FAA, we need to remain under 4 lbs maximum
>> weight and the descent flight hardware (paper airplanes, payload carrier)
>> must have parachutes or glide to prevent harm to people and property below.
>>  These requirements they already meet.  For environmental concerns, we are
>> not flying any toxic chemicals, our balloon and airplanes are biodegradable,
>> and the only potential non-biodegradable elements; payload flight line,
>> payload carrier and associated ballast and recovery systems must be
>> non-toxic.
>>
>> On Mon, Feb 7, 2011 at 11:53 AM, <wb8elk at aol.com> wrote:
>>
>>>  Already in the works !!!
>>>
>>> - Bill
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Ethan Chew <spacefelix at gmail.com>
>>> To: wb8elk at aol.com
>>> Cc: hsis at lists.makerslocal.org; ghallison at aol.com
>>> Sent: Mon, Feb 7, 2011 8:57 am
>>> Subject: Re: Paper Airplanes In Near-Space!
>>>
>>> If we could put trackers on some paper airplanes to try this out and see
>>> how valid this is?
>>>
>>>               - Ethan
>>>
>>> On Mon, Feb 7, 2011 at 1:37 AM, <wb8elk at aol.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Ethan,
>>>>
>>>>   Note closely that their website offers no confirmed proof that these
>>>> "sightings" are factual...more than likely they are internet-inspired
>>>> reports to see if they get a point on their map.....hey, I found one of
>>>> these Samsung SD cards right here in Huntsville Alabama....(it was in my
>>>> digital camera).
>>>>
>>>>   Now that they have gotten worldwide coverage, I imagine that they will
>>>> have a 200 percent or more recovery rate from every continent on the World
>>>> and maybe even the Moon. The reality is that the sightings in Germany are
>>>> possibly valid...anywhere else is bogus. There is no way it can fly to South
>>>> Africa without possessing anti-gravity and a mode of propulsion. The glide
>>>> ratio would have to be incredible. The one Fox news report said that their
>>>> plane had a 12 to 1 glide ratio so it made sense it could make it all the
>>>> way around the World to America.....let's see now....just a quick fact check
>>>> that I'm certain that Fox news carefully performed.....22.7 miles drop at
>>>> 12:1 glide ratio....271 miles max drift....yep, that's exactly the distance
>>>> from Germany to America.....Poor Lindbergh must've gone the long way around.
>>>>
>>>>   It just goes to show that in today's World that it's not the facts
>>>> that count to get publicity and recognition...it's who has the flashiest
>>>> website.
>>>>
>>>> - Bill WB8ELK
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: Ethan Chew <spacefelix at gmail.com>
>>>> To: Hacker Spaces In Space contest website <hsis at lists.makerslocal.org>;
>>>> Bill Brown <wb8elk at aol.com>; Greg Allison <GregAllison at a2zaerospace.com>;
>>>> gregory.h.allison at nasa.gov
>>>> Sent: Fri, Feb 4, 2011 11:57 pm
>>>> Subject: Paper Airplanes In Near-Space!
>>>>
>>>> Check it out!  These guys launched a bunch of paper airplanes from a
>>>> near-space balloon.
>>>>
>>>>  http://projectspaceplanes.com
>>>>
>>>>  The amazing thing is that the planes are turning up worldwide:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> http://projectspaceplanes.com/post/2959260740/here-is-a-list-of-locations-that-people-have
>>>>
>>>>                       - Ethan
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
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