Balloon "Passepartout"

Start of Passepartout IIa

Due to problems with the leashes we had at the 19th of July 2008 two launch failures of Passepartout II (IIa, IIb). However the payload could be saved.

The capsule of “Passepartout II” is a very improved version of the first flight hardware. The structural design has changed from a wood-styropor construction to a carbon fibre-styrodur chassis, which is more stable against deformations and more insulating. Some parts of the flight computer have changed and the software was updated and parts of it were completely new programmed. All hardware components were optimized in weight and are completely new arranged in the capsule. A complete new main power supply was built.

More importance was attached to recover the capsule after landing by having more reliability in the transmission of GPS coordinates by two independent transmitting systems. An improved arrangement of the Track And Trace system will prevent interferences with other components.

Balloon "Passepartout IIc"

On the 5h of October 2008, the stratosphere balloon “Passepartout IIc” was launched successfully from our launch area at the Lustbühel in Graz, Styria, Austria.

Mission Parameter

Passepartout Flight Computer

Launch date: 5. October 2008, 09:49 local time (CET)
Launch area: Lustbühel, Graz, Styria, Austria
Balloon: 2000 g sounding balloon
Balloon size on ground: 2m, Burst diameter: 13 m
Ballon gas: Helium, ~6 m3
Payload mass: 2,45 kg (including parachute and radar reflector)
Ascent velocity: 327 m/min
Descent velocity: 400 m/min
Burst altitude: > 31437km
Landing time: ~12:00 local time (CET)
Landing area: Budinci, Slovenia
Major components:

Instrument package: hardware for internal and external environmental data acquisition
Launch video transmitting system (13 cm band), ATV down oriented
Digicam for side oriented video
High res. Camera for side oriented picture
Automatic APRS transmitter for the 2m band
APRS and telemetry transmitter for the 2 cm band
GSM Track & Track System
Biological experiment: artemia parthenogenetica eggs
Biological experiment: 100 primeval tadpole shrimp eggs (Triops cancriformis)

Mission Results

70 minutes live ATV video, up to a high of 24km
A horizontal video during the hole mission time
Some hundred high res. pictures taken during the hole mission time
Characterisation of the environment outside the capsule
Important Characterisation of the environment inside the capsule
Important information on the behaviour of the hardware at low temperatures, high altitudes, high dynamics and low pressure
Correlation between GPS data and radar data

Picture taken by Passepartout IIc

The analysis of the two biological experiments is in progress, but will take time, as well as the interpretation of the collected data.

This event will be operated in cooperation with the Space Research Institute of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, the Österreichischer Versuchssenderverband ÖVSV and the Austrian Armed Forces.

Special Thanks to the Company Mennersdorfer for their sponsorship concerning the radarreflectors.

Fa. Mennersdorfer
Fallschirm- und Reflektorerzeugung für den Wetterdienst
A-1180 Wien, mennutanetat