1. StratofoxAerospace Tracking Team Presented by Ian Kluft Space Access 2013 Conference Phoenix, Arizona April 11, 2013

2. Stratofox Aerospace Tracking TeamzThe goal: You launch it. We bring it back. 3. Stratofox AerospaceTracking TeamWe help builders of high-altitude rockets andballoons with search and recovery of theirvehiclesStratofox provides search services eitherAs the whole search teamOr adding to an existing search team 4. About StratofoxIn addition to helping with the search...Stratofox aims to assist in getting amateur, non-profit, educational and entrepreneurialaerospace projects off the groundWe make no secret that were trying to getinvitations for our members to all the coollaunches 5. What does Stratofox stand for?The name Stratofox stands for stratosphericfoxhuntStratosphere: layer of atmosphere 8-25 milesFoxhunt: Ham Radio hidden-transmitter hunt gamesNo one can tell you where they hid itIt fell from the sky - most difficult hidden transmitterChallenging environment for electronicsCold, vibrationRockets have to deal with heat too 6. Who is Stratofox?65 membersAbout a dozen founding members in 2002We have done searches for rockets atNevadas Black Rock Desert and balloons allover Central CaliforniaCan happen anywhere that team members goMembers have experience in Ham Radio,aviation, high-power rocketry, 4x4, astronomy,search & rescue, etc. 7. Stratofox HistoryHow we got here 8. HighlightsRecovered CSXT Space Shot 2004 at BlackRock Desert NV, first amateur rocket to spaceRange Safety & search functions for CSXT,Paragon Labs, AeroPac at Black RockRecovered research balloons for StanfordUniversity and NASA AmesRecovered lost payload at Black Rock NV forSoka University of JapanRecovered CNSP-10 balloon minutes afterlanding from altitude record 136,545 flight 9. Highlights Stratofox has the distinction ofrecovering vehicles that set altitude records for Amateur Rocketry and Amateur Radio BallooningCSXT Space Shot - May 2004: 380,000(still holds this record)CNSP-10 balloon - Oct 2011: 136,545 10. CSXT Space Shot 2004Stratofox recovers the spacecraft Launch 5/17/2004 11:12AM Electronics recovered by noon next day Altitude 72 miles/115 km 18 miles from launch pad In mountains at 6100 11. CSXT Space Shot 2004Stratofox recovers the spacecraftRadio direction finding forsecondary beaconattached to parachuteFound it at 6100 elevationafter very strenuous hikearound noon on May 18Stratofox group picture: Will Galloway AE6EY, Ian Kluft KO6YQ, Jeremy Cooper KE6JJJ, Sean LynchKG6CVV, Randy Palmer WA6LCD, Steve Palmer KA6DHU and Rob Palmer. Not shown: Diane PalmerKC6HVP, Christian Void KF6IHU, Colleen Brennan and Jay Lawson. 12. Search for missing CSXT booster Amazing detective story! No signals heard from the booster after descent - presumed lost In July 2004, CSXT analysis of Stratofox audio recording of sonic boom indicated boosters parachute was deployed on re-entry Ground searches were done in August Early winter cut searches 13. Missing CSXT booster recoveredNovember 2004Nov 10 - BLM charteredhelicopter doing survey of wildhorses finds the booster nearwhere we had searchedNov 15 - BLM notifies CSXTand StratofoxNov 26 Stratofox 4x4expedition in mud/snowrecovers the booster hoursbefore a snowstormVideo is on YouTube 14. Stratofox recovers CSXTbooster Booster lost radio transmitters on re-entry recovered 6 months later 15. Eric KnightsNew Race to Space bookPublished Jan 2011Eric was CSXT Avionicsteam leaderStory of CSXTs all-volunteer space shotMany mentions of StratofoxEric made enormous effortto credit all volunteersthenewracetospace.com 16. Black Rock Desert ExpertiseStratofox is familiar w/ topography, airspaceand safety issues of Black Rock Desert NVWe helped CSXT and Paragon meet FAAspace launch requirements in 2003-2005UC Boulders HySOR project found federallaunch ranges to be budget bustersChoosing Black Rock and bringing Stratofox onboard solved that problem 17. Paragon Astronautics4 rocket launches 2003-2005Helped with searchesHelped with rangesafety to meet FAAlaunch requirementsStratofoxs first find asa team in 2003 was ata Paragon test launchat Black Rock 18. AeroPac To100K 3 rocket launches 2005-2006Rocket club at BlackRock wanted to reach100,000 withcommercial motorsfor hobbyists.3 attempts by club.1St stages worked. Nd2 stages crashed.Goal was achieved bymembers of the club,but not by this rocket. 19. Stanford/NASA BioLaunch 8 balloons 2007-2008NASA-funded balloon experimentsexposed DNA samples to solar radiationStratofox supported balloon searchesalongside Stanford students & professorStratofox supported with air & groundsearch, communications and safetycoordinationStanford was so confident in Stratofoxthat B07E/F and B08A/B were flown insimultaneous pairsB07A Jan 2007 nearSome Stanford students liked the huntGilroy, Californiaand joined Stratofox 20. Stanford/NASA BioLaunchB07C May 2007 near B07F Dec 2007 near B08A Mar 2008 nearTracy, California Los Banos, CaliforniaMerced, California 21. Soka University CanSat Search 1 missing payload 2009AeroPac asked forhelp to find Soka Univ(Japan) payload lostat Black Rock in 2009Dead transmitterWorse odds than aneedle in a haystackStratofox drew up 2x2mile search areaFound it! 22. California Near Space Project balloons 2010-presentBalloons launched from San Jose, CaliforniaMany attempts at Amateur Radio balloonaltitude recordSuccessful altitude record-setting flightOct 2011 CNSP-10 136,545 altitude recordPushing the limits of what experts thought waspossible with standard/cheap latex balloons 23. CNSP-10 altitude record Oct 23, 2011Launched from South San Jose, CARecord setting altitude 136,545 over Tracy, CATumbling payload sent no packets during fallLanded in backyard in Manteca, CACNSP and Stratofox got visual on fallingballoon payload from different locationsStratofox got 1 APRS packet after landingKnocked on door before resident knew about it 24. CNSP-10 altitude recordOct 23, 2011Stratofox crew with CNSP-10 at landing site Manteca, California 25. CNSP-10 altitude record Oct 23, 2011Bay Area NBC11 studio interview with Ron & Ian 26. CNSP-11/12/13/14 launch Dec 11, 2011CNSP launched 4 balloons at once on Dec 11CNSP-13 & -14 for altitude, launched before sunsetCNSP-11 & -12 as distance floater experimentsStratofox went immediately to chase 13 & 1411 & 12 tried to replicate Nov 2010 Utah flightGoal was at least to get them to Colorado this timeLaunched at sunset for minimal UV degradationNot expected to last the day after sunrise 27. What about CNSP-12/13/14?13 & 14 altitude attempts lost GPS lock3 Stratofox vehicles chased as far as Mariposa, CAGPS receivers froze in cold above 125,000We found that BeeLines transmit 109,373 uponloss of GPS lock unfortunate choice of error codeStratofox verified reception from balloons still inflight when APRS.FI showed no new dataSettled debate: night altitude attempts not feasible12 cruised at 120,000landed in a tree in Freedom, Indiana 28. CNSP-11 The little balloon that couldSlowest to climb to altitudeSeemed at first to be a failureJust right fill turned out to be key to enduranceLeveled off at 110,000, ground speed 150mph For 2 days! Crossed US mainland, out to sea over Atlantic City NJAwesome help from Hams: Azores, Portugal, Spain Hams changed from European APRS 144.8 to US 144.39 to forward tracking data to APRS-IS networkBurst and splashdown in Mediterranean Sea 29. CNSP-11 world records setAmateur Radio ballooning recordsFirst US transcontinental flightFirst transatlantic flightDuration: 57 hours, 2 minutesDuration record re-taken by Cornell Univ in Mar 2012Distance: 6236 miles from San Jose launch sitegreat circle distance, not ground trackRecords maintained at arhab.orgNot absolute records univ/govt projects havedone more at vastly greater expense 30. CNSP-11 distance/duration record Dec 11-14, 2011 Map of CNSP-11 flight from APRS.FI 31. CNSP-11 distance/duration record Dec 11-14Ron Meadows K6RPT has made efforts to thank all volunteers involved in the CNSP balloons.This includes Hams on both sides of the Atlantic,and the Azores Islands. He considers them part of the California Near Space Project team. 32. Could this be done again?CNSP was only trying to reach Colorado withCNSP-11 and CNSP-12It was an unintentional transatlantic crossing!Cornell Univ re-took duration record in March,but still failed to cross Atlantic from Upstate NYTransatlantic flight tough even from East Coast!CNSP tried again with CNSP-18If it worked, this time it would be intentional. 33. CNSP-18 transatlantic attemptWaited for long nights, good winds aloftLong nights minimize solar degradation of latexWinds aloft in Stratosphere, well above jet streamMeteorologist Mark Conner N9XTN said go!More northern route estimated this timeLaunchUsual CNSP launch site in south San Jose, CAafter sunset Sun Dec 2, 2012 34. CNSP-18 over US & CanadaReceiving direct signals gives ground truth toverify Internet telemetry is catching everythingLaunch site watched from San Jose until SierrasI received packets from Mojave while balloon wentfrom over Sierras to Zion NP in UTWe confirmed GPS signal lock was weakerthan expectedSome recurring dropoutsPossible interference by GPSs heaterNew addition to prevent GPS dying in cold nights 35. CNSP-18 over US & CanadaLevel at 110,000 just like CNSP-11Flight continued over Denver, Chicago, MaineOut to sea over Nova ScotiaHams in Newfoundland tracked it 400 miles outThen nothing...Storm over Azores: Tropical Depression 91LFrequent lightning possible cause for concernUnknown what Sprites do to stratospheric balloons 36. CNSP-18 over US & CanadaImagery by California Near Space Project 37. CNSP-18 reaches MoroccoAfter 22 hours of no telemetry, got to MoroccoWe call it the 22 hours of terrorLanded 100mi inland, north of Taza, MoroccoTelemetry over Morocco relayed by Hams in SpainRecovered by farmer the same morningCNSP-18 confirmed CNSP-11 was no fluke2nd transcontinental flight2nd transatlantic flight2nd place distance: 6,080.4 great circle miles 6,080.40 miles 38. CNSP-18 transatlantic successImagery by California Near Space Project 39. Joining StratofoxCan you help the team?Were always recruiting. 40. If youre interested in StratofoxStratofox is admittedly picky about new membershipWe have to keep the group trustworthy our clients maybe competitors of each otherWe have to be trusted by all partiesThere is no room for spectators in the deep desert everyone has to carry their own weight out therePotential new members need to have a useful skill 41. Useful skills for membership Any of these, the more the betterPrimary skills Secondary skills Private Pilot or betterAstronomy Amateur Radio licenseNavigation, GPS & maps High-power rocketry cert 4x4/off-roading Search & RescueElectronics or AerospaceEngineering Emergency medical training (WFR, EMT) Logistical planningGot something else you think is useful? Ask! 42. How to Join StratofoxBe ready to participate no spectatorsHave a useful skillAmateur radio license, pilot license, high-powerrocketry, 4x4, navigation, First Aid/CPR, etcGet referred by a Stratofox memberParticipate in an eventGet voted in based on your participationhttp://stratofox.org/join 43. Upcoming eventsCalifornia Near Space Project balloonusually short notice when winds aloft are goodUniv of Colorado at BoulderHySOR suborbital sounding rocketBlack Rock Desert, Spring 2014Embry-Riddle Aeronautical UniversityIcarus III sounding rocketBlack Rock Desert, no current statusMars Society TEMPO3 research balloonColorado, no current status 44. Non-profit organizationStratofox is part of a 501(c)3 non-profitOut-of-pocket expenses may be tax deductibleDonations are tax deductiblehttp://stratofox.org/ 45. The endPhoto: Stratofox ground crewPilot: Ben Woodard KG6FNKgives the shutdown signal toGround: Owen DeLong KB6MERsearch plane pilot at AeroPac Note: ground crew giving signals to pilotsmust be pilots tooTo100K in September 2005