23. August 2009

Stratospheric balloons like good weather – especially when they are programmed to film their journey and work as radio contact. But the weather forecast for the planned launch day of Passepartout III was bad.

Preparation work was started by the balloon team on the Friday before the launch date. They built antennas on the roof of the observatory on the Lustbühel, Graz and combined the parachute with a radar reflector. Also the electronics were already checked, the cars for the pick up of Passepartout were ready and even the Helium bottles waited for the launch of „Passepartout III digi“. As the forecast for Saturday predicted thunderstorms and strong winds, the Harald Fauland decided to move the launch to Sunday, 23rd of August.

more… 6.-8. November 2009

Since the prototype of the Aouda spacesuit simulator had been tested several times in the last few weeks, many ideas for optimization have arisen – hence, the suit team met from 6th to 8th of November in Katsdorf (Upper Austria) to further the evolution of the prototype and to come up with new ideas.

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As one of the most important programme quality assurance measures, the "Science and Technology Advisory Board" is an external consultancy body to the PolAres management. Effective of January 2009, we welcome a new team member in this senior group, Dr. Ingemar Skoog, who has a long and impressiv track record in life support systems.

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On 5th October 2008 Passepartout 2c was succesfully launched and reached the height of 31,4 km. The complete flight of the balloon was recorded by video. See the flight of Passepartout 2c inclusive the burst of balloon and safety landing in Slovenia.

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On Friday the 18th of Sept I had the extraordinary pleasure to take part in a trip with a couple of NASA Ames Afiliates who work in the field of Astrobiology. Together with Dr. Fernando Ortega and Dr. Renee Condori we visited some sites in the desert in order to retrieve data from their measuring stations.

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